Revenge Is Like Falling In Love
by Blood Shifter2
Summary: The man who killed my parents was killed by a hunter. I don't feel satisfied that he's dead. I want more. I want to know my parents will rest in peace. It's too bad I didn't think falling in love would make it that much harder. PredXOC Please RXR
1. My First Meeting

_**Author's Note- I do not own Predator. I only own the ones I made for this story. Please enjoy.**_

Growing up on the road was one of the things I enjoyed in my life. It's what started my whole life even if it did have a rough start. My parents were artists. They would travel the world to paint whatever caught their eye. When I was born they always hoped I would have the same passion that they did. I will admit that I did have an eye for talent. Ever since I was three, I would always watch fights go on around me. I didn't care if it was street fighting, wrestling, or even martial arts. I would watch it as if it was the most important thing in my life.

My parents noticed this right away and tried to steer me away from it, but I would always find myself watching whenever I could. Finally my parents gave up and even found ways for me to take lessons on the road. I studied every video and every T.V. show that I could find. By the time I was seven I had already started developing my own style. I would spend hours watching the fighters move and see if I could add some of their moves into mine. My parents were always there supporting me but there were times I wished I could have friends to be with as well, or that we could live in one place and be a normal family. It was when I was eight that I wished I had never made that wish.

We had arrived in Guatemala a week earlier and were getting ready to eat dinner when dad's phone rang. While we waited, I fed some of the food from the table to my dog Ra. He was a huge, black mutt. He was even big enough for me to ride on his back. His fur shone ebony except for a patch that was a gold color and in the shape of the sun, so I named him after the Egyptian god of the sun. He was only two but he acted so much older. Dad got him for me so I'd have protection when I'm alone. I turned around when the door opened and dad came back out.

"Dinner for me will have to wait ladies. That was Mr. Vice. He wants another painting for his wife and wants to discuss the details in person. I should be back in an hour. Ashley your homework should be done by the time I'm back; got it?"

I nodded my head. "Understood daddy."

He smiled and gave us each a kiss on the head before leaving the trailer. Mom smiled sadly at me before starting to eat. As I grew older I got to spend less and less time with my parents. Meal times were always my favorite time of the day. After dinner and helping mom with the dishes I went to go finish my homework. Being home-schooled was so boring. I always wondered what it was like to go to a real school, sit at a desk, and listen to a teacher. But I would probably be considered a freak with my looks. I stood at about 4'8. My hair was a bright white and my eyes were a dazzling blue that could put sapphires to shame. I'm told I look just like my mom but I have my daddy's eyes.

As I got my math book out, Ra suddenly shot up and started growling angrily. Both mom and I stopped what we were doing to look at him. It couldn't be dad, because Ra never growled when he came home. He would only growl if someone or something was prowling around outside. I reached into my backpack and grabbed my knife but my mother shook her head and pointed to the bed. I understood immediately and raced to get under the bed with my knife. The blanket was falling to the floor so it was able to cover me but I was still able to peek out.

Mom looked over and nodded before putting my things away. I was a bit confused at this but kept quiet just in case. Ra's growling got louder before mom finally turned around and let him outside. Ra rushed out and we both heard his growling and snarling get much worse. When he started barking, I started to shake but then everything stopped when we both heard a yelp and then a thud. It was very quiet for a few minutes before the door slammed opened and my true nightmare began.

It was raining. I looked up at the sky and watched as it came down hard. I looked down at my hands to see them and my knife drenched in blood. I look around trying to figure out how I had gotten here. I tried to remember what had happened, but my head was pounding and my whole body was still shaking. The rain has stopped now. I'm surprised it rained at all. It's been so hot this year. I can only imagine what it's gonna be like when the bugs find me.

"_Where are you, ya little brat!"_

I jumped at the voice and could vaguely remember that I was running from this man and now he was close to finding me. I forced my body to move, hoping I still had some strength to stand. I began stumbling trying to get away because I could now hear the man's footsteps getting closer. I could tears running down my face, noticing it was getting harder to breath.

"_You can't run forever runt!"_

I shouldn't have looked back but I did and now I'm falling down a hill. I kept a tight grip on my knife though, desperate to keep it to defend myself with. When I stopped rolling, I got up only to fall down due to the immense pain I was getting from my right knee. I knew at once that I would not be getting back up the hill now. I could feel my tears running faster now.

"There you are."

I didn't turn around. I didn't want to face this monster. I was all alone in the world because of him. I could remember my mother's screams and my father yelling at me to run. I remember seeing Ra's unmoving body as I headed into the jungle. I refused to turn around. I could hear the leaves crunching as he moved. He was now in front of me. He knelt down, but I still refused to look at him. I tightened my grip on the knife as he chuckled. It was quiet for a moment before a hand grabbed my chin and I was looking into a pair of soulless, black eyes.

"Now what were you thinking making me run around looking for you? I should punish you for all that hard work. But what should I do to you? Too bad you're too young to go the same way your momma did. Her screams were so delicious. And your daddy was so much fun to play with as well."

Each word he said only brought more pain and more tears, before I finally snapped and stabbed him with my knife. His yell brought me some satisfaction, but it vanished when he slapped me hard across my face and sent me rolling away. I slowly sat up and listened to him curse.

"I was gonna go easy on ya, but I guess now I'll just take my time in killing ya." He said almost happily.

I could feel my heart leap into my throat as he began to walk over with my knife in his hand. My eyes widened when I saw it. I must've dropped it when he hit me. I could feel my fear send my heart pounding away, but I just wiped my tears away and looked at him with a straight face. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream or seeing me cry. I was startled though when I saw three red dots appear on his forehead. I started to turn to see where they were coming from, when there was this blue flash and the next thing I knew, the man's body hit the ground without his head.

I just stared at it for a moment before the sound of a growl reached me. It wasn't Ra, it was too deep. When I heard another thud I looked behind me to see…..nothing. There was nothing there, but I could hear footsteps coming closer. I knew it was a bad idea, but I forced myself to ignore my pain and stood up to try and see who was there. Before I could do anything though, a poke to my head sent me toppling back to the ground. I blinked to clear my eyes before I saw blue sparks start appearing out of nowhere and a giant stood before me.

I gaped at him and he stared straight back at me before be bent over and picked something from the jungle floor and held it out to me. It was my knife. I stared at it before reaching forward and grabbing it. He nodded his head and then stood up and started walking to the man's body. He stood over for a bit and then shook his head. He took out a vile of glowing liquid and poured it on the body. Before my very eyes the body began to melt until there was hardly anything left.

The big man growled once more before turning back to me. He pointed back up the hill and cocked his head to the side. He wanted me to return home, but at the moment that was the last thing I wanted to do. I shook my head and brought my knees to my chest. I did not want to see their bodies. The guy sighed before walking over to me. He started to pick me up, but I jerked away from him and brought my knife forward in a slashing motion.

His breath hitched and I looked back down to see a small cut oozing out a glowing, green liquid. I stared at it in confusion and suddenly, my insides twisted into knots. In the low light I could barely see anything, but something told to be wary around this guy. I pushed away and brought myself to my feet. My knee was throbbing again, but I ignored it and started the climb back up the hill. The town wasn't too far from our campsite. If I could make it out of the jungle, then I would be fine, and I refused to be carried by him. I was not a delicate little girl. I could take care of myself.

After a minute of climbing, I could hear him following me. I ignored him and just concentrated on getting to the top. This hill would be the hardest part, but I was determined that I would do it on my own. But my concentration was broken when I felt his hands at my sides. I lashed out again but this time without my knife. I didn't want to piss him off too much.

"Don't touch me! I can do this myself. I don't need your help."

He froze and then chuckled a bit.

"You're injured kid. You shouldn't even be walking, let alone climbing a hill like this one."

His voice was deep and it sent a soothing vibe through me, but I shook it off and continued on.

"My names not kid, it's Ashley. I can do this by myself. I don't need to be rescued. I'm not a prissy, little girl that needs to be looked after. I'm stronger than that."

My words silenced him, and after that I just tuned him out and concentrated again on getting to the top. I was almost there too. Everything else just didn't matter right now. The only thing I cared about was taking one painful step at a time. When I got to the top I let out a sigh of relief though I continued moving. Even though I desperately wanted to sit down, I knew that if I did, then I wouldn't get back up and then he would have to carry me back. I kept going.

As I walked I could feel the guy staring at me and it was beginning to unnerve me. Like he was waiting for me to fall but I wasn't going to give him that little pleasure. I ignored the pain; I ignored him and just kept on going. Every time I thought about sitting down; I shoved it back down into a tiny corner. I could do this and I knew I would. I was proving this to him and to myself. I was showing him that I could still get up and fight after a traumatizing event; no matter what. I was proving to him that I could still fight after getting hurt. I was showing that I was not willing to give in and ask for help.

"You are almost to your home child."

I heard his words but I didn't dare stop for fear of collapsing. My entire body was covered in sweat. My right leg had gone completely numb. My sight was getting very blurry, and my head was getting dizzy, but I pushed on. It all came crashing down when I stumbled on a tree root. I sucked in a breath to keep from screaming. I kept my eyes closed so I wouldn't have to see the world spinning. I took a deep breath and pushed myself to get up, but then I felt his hands again.

"_No!"_

His hands disappeared immediately.

"I can do this. Don't help me."

I got to my feet and began walking again. I could see the light from our home. The pain was unbearable, but still I continued. I could breathe easier as I got closer, but then I heard something that made me want to cry with relief. A deep growling came from nearby, and it wasn't from the guy behind me. A big, black shape came forward. His bright blue eyes shone in the darkness.

"Ra, you're still alive."

My answer was a large slobbering kiss. I felt a tear fall down my face. I grabbed onto his back and let him act as a crutch for me, and he didn't seem to mind at all. I felt more alert now as we continued to the trailer. When we finally stepped out of the jungle I could feel my fear coming back. My parents were still inside. But before I could really do anything a large hand was in front of face and there was something smelly in it. I had barely taken a whiff of it before I could feel myself getting very drowsy. Everything felt very far away and I felt Ra fall down. He must've smelled it too. Before I could hit the ground though, two hands caught me. I looked up to see a pair of red eyes that held a hint of purple.

"Sleep little one. You'll feel better when you wake up."

I obeyed his words and fell into a deep sleep. Hoping I would be in my bed when I woke up.

_(Dream Start)_

_I kept my scream in when the door slammed open. My mother backed away from the door as a man walked through it. The man was worthy of being called a monster. He was built like a bear. He had long, black hair pulled into a ponytail. He had a crooked nose and his eyes were as black as death. He had a very dark smirk as well._

"_Well, aren't you a pretty little thing?"_

_My mother didn't say a thing. She just glared coldly at him. I kept gripping my knife tightly._

"_So where's that little girl of yours?"_

_I could feel my heart stop for a few seconds._

"_She left with her father an hour ago. They should be home sometime soon."_

"_Then it looks like we have time for some fun."_

_I watched the man hit her and as she hit the floor with a yell he pulled out a knife and started cutting her before she even had a chance to move. I was unable to do anything but watch as my mother screamed into the night._

_(Dream End)_

I slowly opened my eyes and took in everything I saw. I was in my own bed, and in my own room. I sat up to see Ra at the foot of my bed. I would've thought last night was a terrible dream, if it weren't for the bandages wrapped around Ra's body. I swung my legs out to see my knee wrapped up as well. I couldn't feel it so he must've numbed me up.

"You're awake I see."

Hearing his voice sent shivers down my spine again. There was something in it that I couldn't recognize. I kept my eyes on the floor. I had no reason to look at him. I could feel my emotions breaking, but I refused to cry. I shouldn't cry yet. I don't know why, but I could feel that somehow, now was not the time to cry.

"I've covered up your parents. You will not be able to see them until you are ready."

"Thank you…..uh, I don't know your name."

A moment of silence before he sighed.

"My name is Vlk'leita."

"What kind of name is that? I've never heard of any kind of name like yours. It doesn't even sound human."

"It's probably because I'm not human either."

My head whipped around so fast I'm sure I got whiplash. When I got a good look at him I felt a rush of emotions I couldn't identify at the time. Standing in the doorway was one kick-ass looking alien.

He was tall, about 8 ½ ft. tall. His hair was done in dreadlocks and they were adorned with multiple pieces of jewelry. He had a large dome-shaped forehead and his red eyes were locked onto mine. It was his mouth that looked to be the coolest. He had four mandibles keeping his inner mouth hidden. Sharp teeth lined this mouth. His skin looked to be of reptilian appearance. Most of his skin was black with his forehead, chest and stomach being a tan color with black diamond shaped spots covering him. He wore fishnet that covered his whole body. He wore a loincloth that covered his groin but nothing else. He had a gauntlet on each of his forearms. Boots covered his large feet. The one thing that kept my attraction was the necklace he wore. There were many silver beads and pieces of silver in the shape of fangs, but what really set it off were the glowing blue stones.

I looked at his face before sliding to the floor while keeping my gaze on the ground. I kept all emotions in check as I walked by him. I headed to the kitchen to find all the blood gone. A large pile of armor sat on the table with several dangerous looking weapons as well. I ignored them as I grabbed the cereal from the counter and the milk from the fridge. I snagged a clean bowl from the cupboard and then sat down to eat my meal.

I knew I would have to head into town sooner or later and report what had happened. I looked up as Vlk'leita walked into the room. He watched me for a few seconds before heading to his things and started putting them on. I watched as each piece was strapped on. He had a spear that he connected to his back, a large knife that went into his left boot, two small disks that were connected to his waist and a large gun that was mounted on his shoulder. The last thing he picked up was a helmet-like mask that he connected a couple of tubes to. Three red dots appeared briefly before flickering out.

"What are you?"

I had no idea why I was asking but I felt it was too quiet for me right now. Normally my mornings are much noisier. But I felt like I deserved some answers. He glanced at me quickly before turning back to his right gauntlet. It was making a lot of beeps at the moment.

"I am called a Yautja but your people are known to call us Hunters or Predators."

"So you hunt other creatures?"

"Only if they are a worthy challenge. We do not hunt children. We hunt humans yes, but we limit ourselves to military people or your criminals. I mostly go after the Bad Bloods of your race."

"Bad Bloods?"

"They are traitors or hunters who have lost their honor. They have broken the rules of the hunt."

I nodded my head at that.

"Do you hunt these Bad Bloods?"

"No that is a job for the Arbitrators. They are the ones that hunt them down. I am not ranked high enough to hunt them."

"What is your rank?"

"I am an Honored Warrior. For someone my age that is a great honor."

"How old are you? You make it sound like you're younger then you should be for your rank."

"We can live for centuries. For most with an Honored Warrior status they would be the equivalent of forty to fifty years. I'm around the age of a fifteen year old."

My mouth dropped open in shock.

"Please swallow your food before opening your mouth."

I snapped my mouth shut. To get to where he is now must've taken a lot of work.

"I'll be leaving now."

I kept my gaze on the table.

"I wish you luck on your life and offer my condolences for your loss."

It was an empty apology.

"Goodbye Ashley."

I didn't look up until the door closed. Then I ran to the window and watched as he cloaked himself before turning to the jungle. I watched until I couldn't see the leaves move from his passage. Once I was sure he was gone, I sat down in the middle of the floor. I must've sat there for ten minutes before I opened my mouth and screamed.

It's been two weeks since that night. I'm sitting in an airport watching as people pass me by. Sitting next to me, I have a box that contains two vases, each containing my parent's ashes. Three bags sit at my feet being guarded by Ra. His wounds are now healed but he has yet to leave my side. The two of us now wait for my godfather to arrive. I've only met him once and that was when I was three. I can barely remember him. His name is Orion.

He was my dad's best friend when they were growing up. He stood at six feet tall, and spent his life working as a karate instructor. He was probably the one who that rally got me hooked on it in the first place. He had golden, blond hair with bright green eyes and a natural tan. He was only 28 but his skills were already legendary on the west coast of the United States. I hoped to learn everything from him.

"Ashley, that you kiddo?"

I looked up to see Orion. He had changed since the last time I saw him. His hair had been long enough to put in a ponytail but now it was short and spiky. I'm also sure he'd grown as well but I can't be sure. He pulled off his shades and knelt down in front of me. His eyes held a deep sadness, but he still smiled at me. He slowly pulled me into a hug.

"Are ya holding up okay, baby girl?"

I nodded my head before leaning into him, putting my head on his shoulder. I felt him sigh before pulling away. He looked at my things for a moment.

"I'll go get you a cart okay?"

I nod my head and watched him walk into the crowd. I haven't spoken since I told the police what had happened. For some reason they showed up when they heard my scream, though why they didn't come when my mom was screaming I'll probably never know. Once they got there; I told my story only once before keeping to my silence. I said nothing about the man's death or about Vlk'leita. All they know is my parents were murdered by a man who is on their most wanted list.

"Alright kiddo let's pack up and head out."

I nodded and grabbed the box with my parent's ashes, and set it down carefully. Orion eyed it for a moment before grabbing two of the bags and putting them next to the cart. I grabbed Ra's leash as the last bag was put with the rest. As we headed out I made one last wish. I wished I would meet Vlk'leita again and take back what was rightfully mine. Vengeance for my parents and I was desperate to get it.

_Holy crap. This chapter alone is the largest I've ever made. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please give me reviews. Good or bad. Tell me what you think. Later my fellow readers._


	2. Looking for the Hunter

_**Author's Note- I'm beginning to think you guys actually like this story. I'm like so surprised to see how many people have read this story. Well, if you liked the first chapter I hope you enjoy what's gonna happen in this chapter. Have fun. There is some swearing in this chapter.**_

(Four Years Later)

I have come to realize that I made a mistake when I thought real school was just gonna be like home school. I was wrong. It was worse. I had been right when I thought people would make fun of me for my appearance. I was different so I was considered someone not to be approached. I made no friends my age. They also thought they could get away with teasing me, either about my looks or about me being an orphan. They learned very quickly that I didn't take shit from anyone.

I also knew when to pick my battles. I didn't dare have any fights at school. I wasn't stupid because I'd always wait until before or after school to take my victim down, and I would always do it when no one else was around. I've never been caught either. It would always be my word against theirs since I've never had a record of getting into fights. Though they were suspicious there wasn't much they could without real hard evidence. Orion though always knew when I got into a fight. I may not have gotten injured in my fights, but either my clothes or my knuckles would almost always be covered in blood; theirs, not mine.

These fights though weren't the only times I was improving my style. I spent two hours every day in Orion's dojo working on it. I trained myself to make it perfect. I also had a weapon of some kind with me at all times, though they were never visible. I kept two small daggers in my boots and the knife I had used back in the jungle in a harness on my lower back. A taser was kept in one pocket. Orion knew about the taser and knife, but the daggers were something I bought without his knowledge.

I wore jeans or shorts all the time. I had no desire to make myself look nice. I kept my white hair short to just above my shoulders. I wore shirts that were quite large on me. I was a very early bloomer in the chest department and had no desire to let boys stare at me even more. I had grown to reach 5'6 in the four years I had been here. Orion was great to be around but he didn't know much about girls my age. My first period was not fun. Thank God our neighbor was kind enough to explain it all for me. I've been taking birth control since then. I don't trust the boys around me and seeing other girls getting pregnant made me feel even farther from others my age then before.

I also had been searching for other Hunters. They seem to congregate in areas with temperatures over 110 degrees. I found reports over the Internet about people being skinned, people missing their heads or with abnormal wounds. I soaked it all up but I was starting to get frustrated with trying to find one. By the time I'd read an article it would be reported that killings had finally stopped, meaning the Hunter had probably gotten his fill of hunting and left.

I had hoped to find one by now. I had a bag packed and ready for when I finally got word of somewhere close I could get to. I stopped my work to hear Ra barking up a storm. Thank God it was summer vacation now. I would be starting 7th grade in a couple of months. Orion spent more time teaching his prized students for the summer competitions. He would be leaving tomorrow morning for the first one this summer. He would be gone for at least a week. I was allowed to stay home by myself if I at least checked with the neighbor every once in a while.

"YO Ashley, I got dinner. Get off the computer."

One of the things I loved about the summer was that when Orion had a competition he would always get takeout; he can't cook to save his life so I had to teach myself just to survive. I love cooking but I like these breaks when he brings home the food already cooked.

I walked into the kitchen to the smell of orange chicken and fried rice, my favorite. Ra was staring at Orion as he scarfed down his sushi. Ra loves seafood, especially eel. Before eating my meal I got Ra's bowl, and filled it with a large helping of white rice and cooked chicken along with some fish that we asked the restaurant to make just for him. I had barely let go of the bowl before Ra started wolfing it down.

"I'll be leaving at six in the morning alright kiddo?"

I nod my head. Orion maybe one of the few that I talk to but it's still not as often as he wished I would. He spent months trying to get me to talk more but after the first year he gave up. He couldn't fix something that wasn't even broken in the first place.

"Try and make sure you tell Mrs. Lanny when you leave alright? I don't need another call saying you had up and disappeared for two days."

That was poor planning on my part. I had found out there was a Hunter in L.A. and had raced off without another thought. I had missed him by a day with the clues he had left behind. I had been in a bad mood for a week after that. I had been able to escape trouble by telling Mrs. Lanny I had gotten invited to go to a concert there and had left a note for her. She had remembered seeing Ra destroying my school work from that year and immediately assumed he had consumed it.

"I'll try and keep Ra away from any potential notes I have for her this time."

After dinner was finished I got Ra ready for his night walk. Orion knew I was safe with my weapons and who would be stupid enough to try and do anything with a giant, evil-looking dog right there as well? I walked out the door as Ra pranced out the door first. He loved his walks. As we walked I noticed we would be having another cool summer. I always hoped it would get hot enough for a Hunter to come but it was rare for it to hit 100 here.

"Have you heard about that news report about the skinned bodies appearing in Guatemala? They just found a whole camp of them. The people there had been smuggling drugs and weapons over the border before they were killed."

"This is the reason I like living in a small city like this. You don't get those kinds of things happening here."

"But did you hear that Helen is having a baby?"

Their voices faded as they walked away but I stayed rooted to the spot as I went over that information. There was a Hunter in Guatemala. The very same place that had taken my family and by the sound of it he just got here. Chances were he would stay at least a week. I tugged at Ra's leash as we ran back home. I had some major planning to do.

****************** (Next Morning) *********************

I watched as Orion's truck drove off with three of his students. I had a week before he got back. I had already made a letter for Mrs. Lanny telling her that I had chosen to go with Orion and we had taken Ra as well. I had learned to copy other people's handwriting over the years and I was really good at it. I had packed my backpack with clothes, food, money, my first aid kit, and my favorite weapon of all, my bow and arrows. I had made them myself and I was very proud of them. My mother had her own set but I wasn't ready to use them yet.

I turned to Ra as I locked up the house. He was wearing a special harness that had pockets in it. He carried some extra items that would stay out of sight. I taped the letter to Mrs. Lanny on her door before walking to the bus stop. I had a flight to catch that would take us all the way to Guatemala. I had used Orion's card but by the time he would find out, hopefully I would be long gone.

"This is it Ra. Let's hope we can do it this time." I said as the bus came to a stop and we got on. I pulled out my IPod to listen to my music as Ra lay down at my feet. It would be an hour before we reached the airport. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back.

_************** (Dream Start) ***************_

_I watched as my mother scream as he started cutting her. Her blood was staining her clothing. She was constantly hitting him and trying to push him off but he was too big for her to do it alone. I wanted nothing more to run out and help her but I knew he would try and hurt me and make her watch. The only thing I could do was watch as he made my mother suffer._

"_I can't wait for the rest of your family to get here. I'll deal with your husband next and then leave the both of you so I can play with that girl of yours."_

"_You will not touch my baby. My husband and I will make sure of that."_

"_We shall see if that's true. We just need to wait for them to get here."_

"_HEY Honey! Guess who's home?"_

_I felt my heart stop when I heard daddy's voice. Both mommy and the man froze before he started grinning. He covered my mom's mouth as we listened to my daddy's footsteps come closer._

"_We were able to work out the details. So how about we take Ashley for some ice cream?"_

_The door opened and then there was a scream and the smell of blood._

_**************** (Dream End) ***************_

I snapped my eyes opened when someone started shaking me. I looked to see the bus driver. I took off my IPod and put it away when I noticed we were at the airport now. I thanked the man and ran out into the crowd of people with Ra by my side. Once I got a cart and a kennel for Ra I headed to the line that I could get my ticket. Once I had gotten it and said goodbye to Ra I headed to where my plane was loading. While I waited for take-off I called Orion and left a message telling him I was alright and was at the park with Ra.

I put my cell phone away after turning it off and taking out a pill and my water bottle. These pills helped keep me from dreaming. I only took them when I felt that I really needed them. It would be 21 hours before we'd land so I would have to conserve my IPod carefully. Hopefully the Hunter would still be there when I got there.

******************* (Guatemala) *********************

I stared at the trophies I had made this trip. It was definitely a good trip so far. It has been so long since I came to this planet. I needed this trip so badly. Listening to the council beg or demand that I take a student. My teachings aren't the ones that you give away just like that. The only reason I have yet to have a student is because I haven't met anyone that deserves my time and teachings. My student needs to have heart, courage, strength, and perseverance. They need to prove that they are willing to go through anything and everything all to gain it.

**************** (Airport) *****************

It had been a long flight but the only good thing was that there weren't many people going there at the moment. I don't like feeling squished and I know Ra will be happy getting out at last. As I walked out of the plane I scanned for where I will be picking Ra up. As I waited in line I turned my cell phone back on and checked my messages. I had none so I took that as a good sign that I hadn't been figured out yet.

I had just finished leaving voicemails for Orion and Mrs. Lanny when I walked up with Ra's paper. The attendant checked it out before heading through an open doorway. It was several minutes before he came back out with Ra's kennel. I thanked the man and unlocked the door. Ra came bounding out with a loud bark, causing a good amount of people to back away when they saw just how huge he was.

"Alright big guy, let's head out." I clipped his leash on and headed out of the airport. It was a good thing I had changed on the plane. It was so hot. I was wearing tan cargo shorts, a white halter top that showed my belly and a pair of hiking boots. I grabbed a newspaper and started reading to see if they had any new stories of killings.

"It looks like several more people have gone missing Ra. Three of them were off hunting together but two others were drug lords and they aren't far from here."

I was growing more excited. I might actually be able to find this hunter. I threw the paper away and began to make my way out of the city. I might have to hitch a ride but it would be worth it. I hated big cities. It was very difficult to keep your senses together when there were so many people.

"We need to get out of here Ra. How do you feel up for a run?"

He shook himself before starting to bark. He loved when we would go for a run. I grinned before vaulting onto his back. People may stare but I loved riding Ra. I maybe tall for my age but he was still bigger than me. He raced off once I had a good seat. I started laughing as we ran by people and cars alike. People were staring and pointing as we ran by but we just ignored them and continued our run to the jungle.

It was nearing nightfall by the time we made it to a campsite, but it wasn't just an ordinary one. It was the one where my family had been taken from me. The place where I had met Vlk'leita. And hopefully where I would find this Hunter. I turned to where I had last seen him. In the morning that will be the path we will take.

********************* (In the trees 10 miles away) ********************

I stared down at the fire where my deer meat was roasting. I'm beginning to think I should be leaving soon. I've done enough hunting to clear my head and I feel like I'm ready to face the council again. I nod my head before grabbing the meat when I hear a long and loud howl echo through the forest. I paused as I listened. That was an animal that was not native to this jungle. I shall go check it out in the morning. I turned back to the fire and my meal.

************** (Ashley) ***************

Once the sun hit my face I knew it was time to go hunting. I sat up with Ra, who shook himself before trotting around the clearing, sniffing to find out what had visited us last night. I grabbed my bag and pulled out two meatloaf sandwiches, which brought Ra away from his exploring. As we ate I thought of the best way to find this Hunter. I was already leaving all my weapons visible, except my taser, which now sat in my backpack.

"It's not like showing off my weapons will do any good. Vlk'leita said they don't hunt kids and no matter how tall I am, they will know I'm still a kid."

Ra woofed and wagged his tail as he cleaned his paws.

"We'll just have to do our best. We should try and find his kill spots and follow those trails. After that we'll just see how it goes."

Ra jumped up barking and started heading to the jungle. I rolled my eyes but still smiled. He could act like such a puppy sometimes. I grabbed my pack and followed after my dog, hoping that this hunt would be successful.

*************** (Hunter) *****************

I was heading to the area where I heard the howl when I came upon something that I've never seen before. A young ooman child with a very large, black dog came bounding through the jungle. The child was armed, and was looking all around her, while taking in every detail, as if she were searching for something. I watched as she finally stopped at a very steep hill and looked down. She took a deep breath before climbing onto the dog's back.

"Let's go Ra."

Her voice was quiet but strong. I found her name for the dog peculiar. If I was correct in my understanding, then Ra was the name of a god of the sun from one of the many religions this planet had. Why name a black dog after a god that was said to be gold? I climbed down after them, wondering what a child would be doing here all by herself. As they reached the bottom the child's face tightened. I've never seen an expression like that before on children of any species.

When 'Ra' finally stopped the girl jumped off and slowly walked to a patch of ground that had no growth on it. She must've stood there for a couple of minutes before she fell to her knees and started screaming.

"_You fucking bastard! You took them away from me!"_

I could hear the intense anger and the rage as she screamed at that one spot.

"You didn't deserve your death. You've suffered just like you made my parents suffer. Vlk'leita had no right to kill you."

I froze in shock. That had been a Yautja name and not just any name. He was one of the youngest Honored Warriors we had at the moment. How had she met him? I took a second to examine the spot she was yelling at. I could now see the burns that identified it as having been a human. Whoever it had been was killed by a Hunter. I came out of my thoughts to see that the girl had stopped screaming. There were no tears but she was concentrating on slowing her breathing. Then she stood up and started going through several movements that made it look like she was dancing.

Then I understood what she was doing. She was a fighter going through her stances and by the way she was moving, it was obvious that she had developed that style. Something that was made to fit her and her alone. I watched as she got faster. Her movements were sharp, quick, and deadly. She came to an abrupt halt though when Ra started growling. I looked towards him to see that he was looking straight at me. I looked to see that the girl was staring at me as well. I felt conflicted at what to do when she stepped forward and spoke.

"Hello Hunter."

*********** (Ashley) ***********

I felt nervous and exhilarated as he turned off his cloaking and jumped down from his tree. If I had felt nervous before, it was nothing compared to how I felt now. This Hunter was at least a foot taller than Vlk'leita. He wasn't bulky but he still had plenty of muscle. I wasn't able to see his face thanks to his helmet. He didn't have as many weapons as Vlk'leita did. I could see his shoulder cannon and a knife in his boot but that was about it. His dreadlocks were pulled up into a ponytail.

"My name is Ashley. May I know your name?"

He cocked his head to the side. He started thrilling before turning to head deeper into the forest. I stiffened before glaring and following after him.

"Hey! I asked you a question."

It was hard keeping up with his long stride. I took out my knife to slash at the plants and vines in my way. Every time I looked up he was getting farther away, but I pushed determinedly after him. I finally got fed up so I picked up a decent sized rock and threw it at him.

THUNK!

I nailed him in right in the back of the head. It was really a beautiful shot! He stopped moving before reaching for his head and shaking it a bit. Ra stood next to me as we waited to see what he would do. I was shocked when he started walking off again. I could feel my anger racing through me. I tore my backpack off and retrieved my bow and arrows. By the time I loaded up he was nearly out of sight, but I was undeterred as I let the arrow go. I watched as it flew and hit the tree that was right next to his head.

This time he flinched and looked back at me. I gave him that ever impressive and universally recognized one finger salute. I watched as he tensed up before dashing back towards us. I stood stock still as he got closer. He came to an abrupt halt right in front of me. When he started growling Ra joined him. I glared straight into his mask.

"I asked you for your name."

We had a silent stare down for at least ten minutes before he reached up and started unhooking his mask. As the gas flew I started breathing calmly, trying to get my emotions back under control. When he finally pulled it off I got my first good look of him. This male was definitely older and most likely more experienced then Vlk'leita. His bottom right tusk had a crack in it and he had three white scars going down his face but it was his eyes that caught my attention the most. They were the most intense blue I'd ever seen. They made mine look insignificant.

He bent down to one knee and roared in my face. I didn't flinch. I had spent hours going through with mental exercises while not moving for any reason. I refused to show fear in front of him. Once he was done I put my knife away and looked him in the eye.

"That's not a name. I know you can understand me."

I was being defiant and very rude but he had started it. All I asked for was his name.

"What makes you think you're good enough to know it?"

His voice was very smooth. It was worn down with experience and knowledge. I smirked at him.

"I know I'm not good enough but that's not gonna stop me from at least trying."

********************* (Predator) *************************

I could feel myself smirk at her response. She had spunk, I'd give her that. I hooked my mask to my belt and then rocked back on my heels to observe her.

"What is it you want child?"

"I wish for you to teach your ways of the hunt."

Whatever I had been expecting that _certainly_ hadn't been it. She was looking for a teacher and not just any teacher but a Yautja one at that. I shook my head. This girl had no idea what she was asking. Her fighting style was unique, she knew how to handle weapons and she was training on keeping her emotions in check but she was simply too young to make this kind of decision.

"You do not have what it takes to be my student."

I stood to leave when she got a certain look in her eye.

"How do you know that? How many students have you trained?"

"I have yet to have a student."

"Then how can you say I don't have what it takes when you don't even have a student to compare me to? I will prove to you that I have the skills to be a hunter."

"I'm not saying you don't have the skills to be a hunter. I'm saying you don't have the skills to be my student."

She went quiet after that. Her gaze went to the ground. I turned around to head to my ship, thinking this conversation was over when I heard her running towards me. I turned as she leapt at me with a knife. I raised my arm to cover my face and felt a flash of pain going down my arm. I looked to see a nice clean cut down my fore arm. I looked back to see her in a combat stance while she was holding her knife in front of her.

"I will prove to you that I can be your student."

As I stared at her I felt a rush of excitement go through me. I had a feeling I'd be going back with more than just trophies and I now had a hope that she would be my greatest one yet.

_**Author's Notes- I hope you all enjoyed the second chapter. Gotta wait until next chapter to find out his name. The tests he puts her through next chapter are gonna be hectic. Please leave a review. Also I still need a beta so if anyone is interested leave it in the review or PM me. Thanks for reading see ya next time.**_

_**T.T.R- Thanks for your opinion. It took me hours designing Vlk'leita.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick- Thanks.**_

_**Iamluck- Glad you enjoyed it.**_

_**Predator fangirl- I was hoping I could get enough sex appeal in there. But I'm sorry to say it will be a while before we see him again.**_

_**Luv4Uncas- The chapter with their reunion has already been written. It was one of the first things I planned. It will be epic. You'll love it.**_


	3. Trials of the Hunter

_**Author's Notes-**__** I can't believe the amount of people reading this story. It just blows my mind. Also, the first two chapters have been worked on by my beta Khalthar and have replaced the old chapters. This chapter will just be having Ashley tested and who knows we may finally have this Hunter's name. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. I know I had fun writing it. By the way, Ra's story will be coming up soon in the upcoming chapters so please hold your questions about him until then. I want to surprise you with him.**_

(Hunter)

I stared down at the young girl who seemed intent on being my student. Looking into her eyes I found determination, hope and just a little bit of fear. There was very little pride in her stance, which made me happy. A hunter too proud in their abilities ends up dead very quickly. She knew there was a chance that she could end up dying today but she was willing to risk it all just to prove herself to me.

I was beginning to like this girl.

I nodded my head to her before going into one of own stances. "Very well, let us see if you can pass my tests."

Her eyes shone with such a ferocity that would make any teacher proud.

"Lesson number 1: Hand-to-hand combat. Impress me."

With a flick of her hand the knife was gone and she settled into a special stance smoothly. It was obvious that she had trained for quite some time to be able to shift forms so quickly and her form was perfect for someone like her. I couldn't see any holes in it as well. She held herself beautifully. She closed her eyes and took three deep breathes before opening them and rushing towards me with a speed that I wasn't expecting.

I made a grab for her, but she grabbed my arm and used it to lift herself up and slam both of her feet into my gut. I hardly felt it because of my armor, but it had been a good solid hit. She then used me as a springboard to back flip away. She had barely touched the ground before she was running at me again. This time I was able to catch her on her left shoulder. She winced but rolled with the punch and brought that same arm up to hit my upper arm where there was no armor. My arm tingled a bit but I shrugged it off and backhanded her across the clearing.

She twisted herself in midair to land on her feet, but she was unsteady and slightly dazed. I used her confusion to charge her and threw a light punch to her ribs. To another Yautja it would've been considered nothing, but to a young ooman it would leave a bruise. Blood was dribbling down her chin but she got back to her feet and charged me once more. This time she was able to block my hit but what surprised me was when she used my bent knee to bring her face level with mine and brought her fist back and punched in the face.

I shoved her away once more and felt around for damage. I was surprised to feel blood and she also snapped my broken mandible off. My shock was pretty evidence when I saw her smirk. We had both drawn blood so we were equal on hits. I wonder what my fellow hunters would think when they found out who finally broke my mandible. Wonder who won that bet?

"Stop going easy on me. I know you're holding back. Stop treating me like I'm made of glass."

I could see she was getting frustrated. She was probably thinking I wasn't taking her seriously, but I was afraid of harming her. Going at full strength would definitely cause some serious harm but I could bring this up a level or two. I smirked at her before launching myself at her. She had no time to react. I punched her in the gut and then swept her off her feet. She hit the ground hard but she jumped up to avoid my grab for her. She grabbed hold of arm again but this time she swung herself onto my BACK! She latched onto the armor back there and refused to let go. I swung multiple ways trying to shake her off but she was like a leech. I couldn't get a good hold on her and I didn't want to roll around for fear of crushing her.

"Let go and face me!"

"Make me!"

"What are you? A child?"

"Actually yes, since I'm only twelve."

I could feel myself growing irritated at this game so I just chose to rid myself of my armor. Once she felt it falling off she let go and rolled to her feet. She was smirking as we circled each other. I felt I was missing something but I put it out of my mind as she charged me again. I was a bit faster without my armor but she was still very nimble and flexible. Every hit left a tingling sensation behind and every time I would hit her she would just get right back up. She was breathing hard now so I knew it wouldn't be much longer before she wouldn't be able to move.

"What do I need to do to win this match?"

I thought about this quickly. Usually when hunters would fight, you either knocked them out of the ring or beat them until they were unconscious. We both knew the second option was out and we didn't have a proper ring so I would have to improvise.

"Bring me to my knees and then you will be declared the winner."

Her face gained a spaced out look for several seconds before returning to a blank slate. She had just made a plan in a matter of seconds. It was good to know that she was a quick thinker. It would prove useful in the future. She settled into a new stance and then let out a short, sharp whistle. At the same time she ran at me Ra leapt out of the jungle behind me and settled his jaws on my arm. My momentary shock was what caused me to fail to register that Ashley had grabbed my other arm. By the time I realized it, it was too late. A sudden pain bloomed between my legs. Both Ashley and Ra jumped away as I fell to my knees, cursing Ashley to my home planet and back.

"That was a low and dirty trick."

"You didn't specify how I could bring you down and besides, I'm a girl. That's a move all females know."

I hated to admit it, I really did, but she was right. I've seen plenty of fights between males and females end that way. The fact that she had used Ra was unexpected as well. He was part of her style as strange as it was. I had let my guard down and it had been my downfall. This round went to the girl.

I nodded my head and carefully stood up. The pain was not as bad but it was still tender. It would make the next test a little bit difficult. "You win the first round."

She smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Her body looked drained and sore. If she were to pass the next test I would very impressed if she were to do it in her state.

"Now it is time for Lesson number 2- Stealth and Tracking. This test will involve you hiding and looking for me. I will leave and hide in a single spot for an hour. Your job is to find me before the hour is up. If you fail to find me by then I will leave my hiding spot and spend thirty minutes looking for you. If I don't find you after the thirty minutes I will locate a new hiding spot and we will start over. You have fifteen hours to find me. That means you have ten hours looking for me and five hours hiding from me. The longer it takes the harder my hiding spots will be. You will wait for ten minutes before starting. Good luck."

She doesn't move when I turn and run into the jungle. This test will be harder and it won't give her much time to rest and regain her strength so we'll see how long her endurance can keep up. The weird part is I think I'm actually having fun.

(Ashley)

I watched as he disappeared into the jungle before setting the timer on my watch for ten minutes. Once I couldn't hear him again I collapsed to the ground. My body felt like one giant bruise and my ribs were throbbing. I turned when I felt a nudge to see Ra with my backpack. I grinned and grabbed it, rushing to get my med kit and wrap my wounds before I needed to be on the move. I spread my ointment all over my muscles, feeling relief at last. I grabbed a vitamin water and a granola bar and settled down for a quick snack.

This test was much trickier and needed some planning instead of just rushing right in. I didn't know much about him. I know he won't go to extreme lengths to make sure I didn't find him. He'd lose some of his honor if he didn't play fair. He knows I have Ra and his scent, but he has to have a way to lose dogs. I turned to look at his armor to find most of his weapons still here. I snorted. It's not like I'm a threat to him but I grew curious when I saw his helmet with lying several feet away. I remember he hooked it on his belt so it must've come off during our fight.

I continued to stare at it when the temptation grew to be too much and I grabbed it. It was heavy but not heavy enough that I couldn't pick it up. I looked at Ra and held up the mask. My jaw dropped when I saw a big red blob standing where Ra was. I took it off to see his big, black form. My eyebrows furrowed before lifting the mask up again but this time I looked down at my feet. They were red too.

"It's a heat vision. This helmet can see heat."

I grinned while looking down again. I wonder if he can still see heat without the helmet. That would be a something I would test later on. The Hunter had not said that I couldn't _'borrow'_ his stuff. I grabbed the mask and stuffed it in my backpack just as my watch rang out. Time to go hunting. I pointed to the pile of armor while looking at Ra.

"Fetch the Hunter Ra. Fetch."

He barked once before going over every inch of the pile. While he was busy I took the time to change my outfit. I put on a black spandex bra with matching shorts. Even though there were poisonous animals out there I felt better running around without shoes. I was faster and more silent without them. I put all my weapons away and secured my backpack when Ra started growling. He had a good scent and was ready to go. I climbed up and held on as he galloped off. Test 2 has started.

(Hunter)

My first hiding spot was a good choice. Not too hard, but it would make it very difficult for her dog to track me. It was a graveyard where animals came to die. The stench was strong but I was used to stronger smells. The vultures constantly picked at the rotting carcasses. I settled myself down on a large rock in the sun to wait for the child to appear. I had set two false trails to see if she'll find the right one. Each path would be easier to see for a child of her age. I had high hopes for this child so I was hoping she would make this trip worth it.

(Ashley)

Once we hit a river I knew Ra had lost him. I jumped down from the whimpering beast and patted him on the head.

"Something told me he wouldn't make it easy for us and he planned it so we would lose his scent. Just go back to the clearing and guard his stuff okay boy? I'll be taking this test alone."

Ra barked once before bounding back the way we came. Once he was gone I took the helmet out and started scanning the river shores and trees surrounding the area. A glowing footprint caught my attention to the other side of the river. It was deep and there were rocks there for me to cross on. I leaned down to examine the print with the helmet. It was huge. I looked in the direction it was heading but was confused to see only one. I took it off and put it away. I scanned the branches around me before a small one caught my eye. It looked like it had nearly been snapped off.

"But did he do it on purpose or was he in a hurry to hide?"

He could be leading me with false tracks, but since I had no other choice I followed the only trail I had. I looked down at my watch to see I only had twenty minutes left. If I didn't find him in ten minutes I would give up the search to look for my own hiding spot. I couldn't risk it now that I found clues to another trail heading down to a small valley. I took out the helmet and carefully looked at each path. The first path would lead further up the river while the other one would go down a rocky trail. The first path had a broken branch and a footprint but the second trail had several footprints on it. When I looked at my watch I knew I wouldn't be able to find him this time.

"Darn it. But I can't say I was expecting to find him my first try. I need to get back to the river."

I wanted to test a theory and I hoped it would make this test a lot easier because at the moment I had run out of ideas.

(Hunter)

I woke up to a small beep on my wrist computer. It seemed the first hour was up and now it was my turn. I grinned at the prospect of seeing if she could evade me. I jumped off the rock and headed back up the rocky trail. I stopped when I came to a couple of trees to see her fading footprints. By the looks of it, she had come across both trails and had been unable to decide which one to take. She must've left to hide herself before her time was up.

'_Very clever little one. You know when to take a risk or not. You made a good choice._' I thought.

I followed her steps back to the river but was unable to pick them up again. The river wasn't very strong but there snakes and carnivorous fishes in it. She may have just used the water's edge to hide her footsteps, but I wasn't able to get her scent either. I paced the riverbed for a minute, trying to figure what she had planned. I could tell her dog had not been with her so he must still be back at the clearing. Whatever she had done it was an excellent tactic.

(Ashley)

I watched from my perch on a fallen log just several feet from the hunter. I grinned as he paced around growling and clicking. I guess my theory was correct. He could only see in infrared. I stared down at the mud covering myself. I had slapped it on quick before finding the log. Barely three minutes later, he calmly walks towards the river. I had hidden my backpack but kept the helmet tied to my back.

He sniffs the air once more before sighing and crossed the river to the other side. He headed down river and when I was sure he was far enough away, I slipped from the log and quietly crossed the river before tailing after him. I made sure the mud was covering every inch of my skin so he wouldn't be able to catch my scent. I kept looking at the time as his thirty minutes flew by. When his wrist computer beeped I knew it was my turn once again.

"Alright child, it is your turn once again. Good luck on finding me."

Once he was done speaking he took off. I was barely able to keep up with him. I was forced to claw my way over logs he could jump over. While he jumped branches and trees I kept the helmet on and watched his progress. When he finally settled down, in a hidden cave behind a waterfall I took the helmet off and put it back in my backpack. I took the time to cover myself with fresh mud before slowly climbing my way up to his hiding spot.

I took a quick glance in to see him resting against the wall with his eyes closed, but I knew better than to think he was sleeping. The water and mist was slowly making the mud slimy and was it being washed off. I let it wash off so he would be able to see me now. I crawled over to him and watched him take deep breaths. I gave off a tiny growl. His eyes opened and looked over at me. I smiled and waved.

He didn't really do anything but stare and blink every once in a while. We just sat there for a couple of minutes before he took a deep breath and shook his head. I wasn't an expert on their faces but I could've sworn he was smiling. He looked back at me.

"So how did you do it? How were you able to stay hidden?"

I grabbed the remaining mud from the floor and threw it in his face. I watched as it slowly dripped down and as his face started to twitch. He then slowly started wiping his face and glaring at me. I turned to the entrance and began to climb back down but before I could get too far he grabbed me by the back of my neck and threw me into the water. I came up for air just as he jumped in.

"What was that for?"

"You were filthy."

I shook my head as he floated on the surface. I swam to bank and shook myself. I took off my backpack as he got out of the water and shook himself as well. He tapped his computer a couple of times before it finally beeped. He turned to me.

"How did you know to use mud to hide yourself?"

I opened my backpack and took out his helmet. As I passed it to him I grinned at the shocked look on his face.

"When I looked through it I noticed that you could only see heat signatures with it. I wasn't sure if you could still see like that without it so I decided to test to see if it would work. When you got to the river I was right there sitting on the log behind you. When you didn't make a move to grab me I knew my theory was correct. It was a big risk but sometimes you need to risk everything."

(Hunter)

I stood there standing going over everything I had put this girl through. She had shown great courage when asking a Hunter to train her. She had proved she was determined to go against all odds when fighting me. She had shown strategic planning and incredible tactics when tracking down someone more experienced and not having very much information. She knew when to take risks and when to back down. She had the endurance to go through all this when she could've given up. This girl would be the greatest prize I could have and I hoped that one day I would be able to show the rest of my people. I smiled down at her.

"My name is Jaran'tsk. I am one of the highest ranking Hunters you will ever meet. My status is above most, including the Arbitrators. My title is that of Ancient. I am one of the few that still enjoys the Hunt. My word is law and the few who have gone against it are no longer among the living. I am also known as Dhi'rauta'n'yaka-de. As of now you are my student. I will put you through battle simulations; I will teach you my language, the customs, and manners of my people. You will go through rigorous training until I decide you are ready for the Kainde Amedha Chiva. Once I deem you ready, only then will you enter the Yautja society. Am I understood?"

Looking into her eyes I saw all the things I had seen before. Only this time there was no fear. She looked exhilarated and anxious to begin her training. When your student was ready even after all those things you say; I knew that training this child would be worth it all. I put my helmet back on and nodded to her.

"You shall be known as Daz'cridxa. It means Little Warrior. I hope to see your name go down in history my Nracha-dte'vor'mekta alongside me. Now let us go retrieve my armor and your dog. We have a lot of work to do."

As we headed back to the clearing I felt as if I was a Young Blood again. I felt as if nothing could get in my way and looking at my new student, I knew she felt the same way just by looking at the smile on her face.

_**Author's Notes-**__** Well there you have it. Chapter 3 has come and gone. I hope you all enjoyed it. Now to explain some things. Jaran's nickname means Cunning Master and the nickname he gave Ashley means Relentless Stalker. Now it's time for the reviews from last chapter.**_

_**Iamluck- Congrats for being the first one. Thanks for reviewing. Hopefully with my beta there will be fewer mistakes.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick- It took me hours to create Jaran'tsk. Sadly Orion won't be seen again till the end of the story.**_

_**Khalthar- I just wanna thank you for putting up with me.**_

_**Luv4Uncas- After finding out who her teacher is you can just imagine the hell she will be put through.**_


	4. It's the waiting that will kill me

_127…..128…..129…..130…..131…..132…..133_

My mind was a blank slate as I continued my pushups. The training schedule was something that I had known would be very rigorous, but knowing that, and doing it are two very different things. I had only been here for six months, and already my body felt like it was continually on the brink of falling apart. But I continued with the workouts that Jaran puts me through. I wasn't ready for the training that the Unblooded go through. He said I needed to get my body ready for it.

_155…..156…..157…..158…..159…..160…..161_

I would be woken up at roughly six a.m. and would be given fifteen minutes to get ready and have a quick breakfast that usually consisted of a glass of water and a couple of dried meat strips. For two hours after that I would go through my warm-ups. I had thought that Orion's training regimen had been intense, but it wasn't anything compared to this. That supposedly intense training was the only reason that I was barely able to hang in there for what I was now being put through.

200 pushups

150 sit-ups

200 squats

125 pull-ups

200 jumping jacks

After I had finished with all of those; Jaran would take me to a large room that had two levels. The bottom level was a large pool and the top level was basically a large track that circled the whole room. In these rooms I had to wear a set of weights the whole time. I wasn't allowed to take them off until I left the room. At the moment I was wearing 5 lbs. on each limb so it was 20 lbs. altogether.

I was to start off with running first and my goal was to finish 30 laps within an hour. The first week I was here I was able to complete that easily but now with the weights it was harder. So far I can barely finish 20 laps. It was the same for the pool. Even when in the water it was so much harder and I knew that when I would actually beat this goal the weights would get heavier.

_193…..194…..195…...196…..197…..198…..199…..200_

I could feel my sweat coating me like a second skin. Ra watched me from his mat by the door. The only training he did was the running and swimming in the other room. Jaran was looking for a fellow Hunter that could possibly make some armor for Ra. He said it might be a while before he could locate him but I wasn't worried. Jaran had said I wouldn't be going on any hunts for at least two years.

After 4 hours of training I would head to the bridge of the ship. There I would learn to read and write in his language. Jaran said as soon as I had the basics in their language that I would learn how to do sign language. I adapted very quickly and surprised us both by being able to read anything he gave me in 3 months. Writing was a little bit harder. My calligraphy had needed a lot of time and patience. Even now I was still struggling but Jaran was able to give me a good tip. If I was steady with a writing utensil then when I started my weapons training it would easier to handle their weapons.

After language arts it was lunch time which was usually a fruit stew called S'pke. Following that would be 5 hours of learning about their culture and believe me when I say there is a lot of it. Each clan had to be respected a certain way and there were a lot of clans. Ranking was very important in this society and at the moment I was at the very bottom though I wasn't a threat yet. Even though I could defend myself and injure these guys it would damage their honor if they were to seriously try to harm me.

It was a lot of work. I had to go through many hours of who to greet and how to greet them. I had to learn who I was allowed to talk to and who to avoid. I learned how to walk when in the presence of high ranking Hunters and seeing as how my teacher was one of the highest this lesson was drilled into my head. It would only be a matter of time before I would meet other Ancients or even Arbitrators. I wouldn't even be allowed to have eye contact with them. I was to show them I was able to be submissive in their presence at all times.

I only had two more months before we reached his home planet, Yaut Prime and I was to meet the Ancients. Jaran would be making an official claim on me as my teacher but it would not be easy he said. There had been times where some Hunter's would accept humans in their clans, but it's extremely rare for a Hunter to take an actual child and train them. Most of the time, the human would fail to survive when going through the Chiva Trial.

Most of the time was spent preparing me for this inevitable meeting of the council. It seemed that in all the centuries Jaran has lived he's picked up a little of everything. He had gotten me an outfit that made me look like royalty. It was similar to a leotard but the top half was a halter top and the bottom was like a loin cloth. It was a pure white with little blue stones that were set in intricate patterns and designs. I also had a pair of knee high white boots and a pair of white gloves that went to my elbows. These also had the blue stones set in them. I wore no jewelry because that was a sign of high ranking. Even my hair was to be left alone although it wasn't really there anymore. My hair was to be kept short until it was time for it to be weaved. It would be a long process and from what Jaran said, very painful.

When I asked where he had gotten the outfit, he said he had made it. He said he was a jack of all trades. He knew a little bit about everything and a lot about nothing. The color white was also a sacred color for his people. It was the color of Paya, their Goddess. It was said that Paya was the very first Hunter. She conquered many hunts and was the type of warrior that every Hunter strived to be. He was hoping to capitalize on my white hair and demonstrate that I was chosen to be a Hunter. I also knew there was a high chance that I would be thoroughly tested once I met the council.

As I walked to the pool room with Ra by my side; I constantly reviewed everything I would have to do to impress these mighty warriors. I had already impressed one, but now it was time to prove myself to an ancient race by showing that I was capable of being one of them. My very life and future was on the line, but it was the justice for my parents that I worried about the most. Whether I passed this next test would show if I had what it would take to get my revenge.

(Jaran)

Sitting in the control room, I watched as Daz'cridxa headed to the second training room. She had improved so much in the time she had been here. She was like a sponge; she soaked up everything she learned. That would be a good trait for the council to see. Her will and spirit were very strong and she completely refused to give up. By the time she became an adult for her race, she would be a magnificent Hunter.

Watching her train hurt a lot as well. It hurt knowing that this was my first time doing this when I had wished long ago to do this for my own sons and daughters. I had climbed the ranks very quickly and my mate had waited for me. She had been a daughter of a very high clan while my own was very low in rank. We had grown up together and I fell in love with her. I had told her I would prove myself to her clan that I was worthy of her hand right before leaving for my Chiva. She had rejected every male her clan had offered to her and when I returned an honored warrior she accepted my courtship.

Even as an Honored Warrior her clan felt I still wasn't good enough. I went on dangerous hunts to prove myself and when I finally killed a Queen with nothing but a spear and my wrist blades I was allowed to be wed to her. That hunt was also the one that gave me my face scars as well as the cracked tusk, which was no longer there thanks to my new student.

After all the hard work and good fortune that had brought us together we were devastated when after nearly two years of trying to have pups of our own, we found out that Jadrec'zic was incapable of having pups. Her womb had been damaging while she been on a hunt of her own. She hadn't thought she was injured so she thought nothing of it, but now it was too late to repair the damage. We would never have a family of our own.

My clan suggested leaving her for another mate but I refused. I had gone through too much too just abandon her and I loved her too much. If we met another female that was worthy of carrying my children then we might be willing to try that, but we have never found such a female. Our clans had given up on having our bloodlines continued and we had given up on having a family.

But as I watched this young girl swimming in the pool, I thought of what Jadrec'zic would think of her. I wouldn't introduce them until Daz'cridxa could adequately defend herself. It wasn't my mate that I was afraid of harming her, but my mate's clan. I wouldn't put it past them to try and rile up other Hunters once word got out I had an ooman child for a student.

Back when I had been courting her Jadrec'zic had at least 12 older brothers that tried to make my life miserable. They were always trying to push their sister towards other Hunters they thought were more deserving than me. Now only two were left and they were nowhere near my rank. They may be Honored Warriors, but they knew I was far better in skill compared to them. Tlkgaw'jaq and Arask'pir were always causing trouble in our lives but Jadrec'zic loved them all the same, so I was forced to always greet them politely.

"Hopefully you'll be an Honored Warrior yourself by the time you meet those two Daz'cridxa."

She had by now finished her swimming and was heading in to get ready for lunch. Ra shook himself and Daz laughed while trying to get away from the wet dog. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something strange about that dog, but I didn't have any concrete proof or evidence that could help me identify him. I would be keeping my eye on the giant dog.

I have 2 more months to prepare my student for her second stepping stone into her life of a Hunter. Her first one had been to challenge me. I can only hope that she will be ready for something that could end her future and, quite possibly, her life as well. I know she is getting ready for something. She obviously has some unknown purpose in life and I know that it involves my people. Maybe one day I'll learn her true goal but for now I have a council meeting to prepare her for.

(Two Months Later- Yaut Prime)

(Ashley)

I sat nervously in front of my mirror as Jaran once again cut my hair. I really miss having long hair; it was my favorite thing about me. Mom always loved doing things with it but I knew it would be quite some time before I had it at a certain length again. In one hour the ship would be landing and we would head in for the meeting with the Ancients. I had already bathed and dressed myself in my outfit. Ra had been bathed and groomed the night before. He was also in the set of armor Jaran had asked for. I had stayed hidden when the Yautja blacksmith was onboard. Jaran had received a sworn oath from him that he would not speak a word of what he saw on the ship. He may have known that I was there, but he never actually saw me, so there was no proof that an ooman was on the ship.

Ra's armor was gold. It covered his whole back and was connected under his belly. It covered his legs and tail but the most distinguished feature was his helmet. The detail work was impressive. It made it look he was continually snarling and the part that covered his bottom jaw allowed full movement so he could open his mouth all the way. The other good thing about was that it could be adjusted as he grew, which was really a very good thing, because he was still getting bigger.

"Use your meditating exercises to calm yourself. You need to relax. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are not harmed."

I don't know why but his voice always soothed me when I needed it most. I followed his instructions and started to slow my breathing as he left the room to make sure everything was ready for us to land. I mentally went over all the things I had been taught in the last eight months. Jaran would be by my side the whole time. He would not leave me alone until we were back on the ship. I had no idea how long we would be done there. Also, without letting Jaran know, I had stashed my knife and two daggers in Ra's armor. I would not be caught unprepared while in a room of Hunters.

"Daz'cridxa head to the control room. We are almost there."

I looked at myself once more in the mirror before standing and leaving the room with Ra by my side. I practiced walking while heading to my destination. I kept my back straight with my arms locked to my sides. My head was held high and my gaze just stared straight ahead. Ra walked elegantly as well. It looked like he was gliding over the floor. We stopped and waited for the door to swish open before walking in.

"Put Ra in his harness and then sit down and strap yourself in like I taught you."

"Yes, Sensei."

As I started hooking Ra up I thought of the first time I had called him that. It was natural to me to call him that. I had called Orion that as well. Everyone did in the dojo. Once Jaran learned of what it meant he actually looked happy that I was calling him that. At the moment Jaran looked like a god. The bronze colored armor he had been wearing when we had met was put away for the platinum colored armor he wore now. It had been polished extensively for the past two days.

"Tell me the rules you are to follow."

"I am to keep you in my sights at all times."

"Where are you to be as we head to the meeting?"

"I am to be right behind you and to the left of you."

"Why are you not directly behind me?"

"That would be a sign that I am your servant. Behind and to the left symbolizes that wish to take the place as your student. If I am allowed to be your student then my position will change and I will be on your immediate right."

"Which means what?"

"That you have accepted me as your student and the council has recognized me as yours as well."

"How is it you greet the Ancients?"

"I bow to them and keep my neck bared. I do not rise until my neck has been tapped."

"When are you allowed to speak?"

"Only when the head Ancient addresses me."

"Who is the head Ancient?"

"His name is Drak'melk. His dreadlocks barely reach his shoulders. His armor is a bright turquoise and the cape he wears is a brighter blue. He is also one of the few Hunters on the planet that trains with and is a master of using sabers. He is to be respected at all times. His word is law."

"Good girl. Prepare yourself, we are about to land."

I nodded my head while tightening my seatbelts. The planet was beautiful. There were pyramids that would've towered over the ones on my planet. This was their major city. There were smaller ones but this was the capital of their planet.

"3….2….1…..and connect with landing dock."

The ship lurched forward before settling down with a hiss. I waited for Jaran to give the word that I could unstrap. He was pressing many different buttons that I hadn't learned the function of yet. Right as he was unbuckling himself and nodded to me I could do the same. A video screen turned on and another Hunter appeared.

(Jaran)

"**It's about time you got back Jaran'tsk. We were wondering if you had finally kicked the bucket."**

"**It will take a lot more than oomans to take me down. I have an important meeting with the rest of the Ancients so I won't be able to get together with you and the others for a while."**

"**You know picking a student would just make all these meetings go away. Those guys see you more than we do."**

"**I promise you Dai'reckzt that this will be the last meeting about that. I swear on my honor."**

It was quiet as Dai registered my words. When a Hunter swore on their honor nothing not even death would make them break it.

"**You're actually serious? You've finally gotten yourself a student?"**

"**I don't want this getting out Dai. I don't want Tlkgaw'jaq and Arask'pir to try and harass my student and I still have to get approved by the council."**

"**I swear on my honor I won't say anything. I'll make sure those two don't hear a word of this but you must promise to introduce me to your student soon."**

"**You know I couldn't keep you away from something like this. I was hoping you'd teach her your skill in the future."**

"**A female? Can't say that I'm surprised, but I'll have to meet her first to see if she's even capable of learning my skill. By the way, what happened to your tusk?"**

"**My student happened. She got a solid hit to my face when I was testing her."**

"**Well, I guess Rigvib'kls wins that bet."**

"Sensei?"

I turned from the screen to see Daz standing near the door with Ra right by her. She was out of sight of the screen so Dai wouldn't see her. She tapped her wrist and I knew we were on a schedule and not even I wanted to keep the council waiting. I nodded and turned back to Dai.

"**I have to go now. I'll call you after it's over, but I don't know how long I'll be there."**

He nodded his head but the look on his face made me stop when the connection broke. He had looked puzzled, but I put it to the back of my mind. We needed to get going. I gave both of them a quick once over one last time before locking the control room. I had already locked all the other rooms because I wouldn't put it past my brother-in-laws to try and snoop around while I'm gone.

"Who was that you were talking too?"

"You will meet him later on. He is my best friend. I trust him with my life."

It was a good thing I had a private docking area. I did want Daz to be made public for quite some time. If we were careful we would get to the meeting unnoticed. I placed my helmet on and checked to make sure she was in her proper place before opening the door.

(Ashley)

My heart was racing as we walked off the ship. The heat was intense. Jaran had warned that because of their three suns it was a place that I would not enjoy, but I was determined that I would deal with it. I can only imagine that it would be a living hell for Ra, but he seemed to be completely fine. It was as if he didn't feel any difference at all.

We would stop often for Jaran to make sure there was no one else. Once he had scanned the area we would continue on. Our pace was faster than I thought and realized Jaran wanted to get there without any delays. When we reached the pinnacle of the city he finally slowed down and ascended the steps gracefully. I had to really work to keep up with him because the steps were larger than I was accustomed to.

"We are almost there Daz. Just remember everything I taught you and everything will be okay."

He did a good job of hiding it but I could still pick up the faint trace of his nervousness. I'm pretty sure he could smell my fear and hear my heart. I struggled to keep my breathing even. We stopped in front of a large set of gold doors. He allowed me a few seconds to prepare myself before opening the doors and stepping through.

With a deep breathe Ra and followed him. I kept myself from flinching as the doors closed behind me.

_**Author's Notes**__**- And that would be chapter 4. I hope you enjoyed it. The excitement of meeting the council will be next chapter and with the way I planned it it's gonna be a lot of fun. Now for the reviews from last chapter.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick**_- Nice to know you're enjoying it. Just wait for the next chapter. You'll enjoy the scene I have for Ra.

_**Luv4Uncas**_- I admit I probably had a little too much fun with that scene but I could resist. Her Chiva is still a couple of chapters away.

_**Poisedrose**_- Thanks a lot.

_**Shades-Soul**_- I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

_**Mamablake**_- I love my action scenes. They're also the ones that I spend the longest on.


	5. Patience is a Torture Disguised as a Vir

(Jaran)

I kept my breathing even. She tried but I knew everyone could hear her heart beating at a very fast pace. Out of the corner of my eye I could see she was just a step behind me on my left side and her head was kept lowered as we walked forward. The other Ancients were all staring at her with shocked and stunned looks. The only one who wasn't surprised and was actually grinning was Drak'melk, the Head Ancient. He stood at 8'6 but he was leaner compared to me. He was actually a rare type of Hunter that wasn't speckled but actually had stripes. He was a golden color with black stripes that made his blue armor really stand out. He had a scar over his right eye and his dreadlocks were barely to his shoulders. His gold eyes had green specks in them.

"**Well Jaran you sure do enjoy keeping us on our toes. I can certainly say I wasn't expecting something like this. And what happened to your tusk?"**

Drak was always like this. He started the meetings off on a light note, trying to keep the peace between the members. I noticed Ra had stayed in the shadows but keeping in a reasonable distance to Daz. I knew if anyone made an intimidating move against her he would jump to her defense. I gently rubbed my broken mandible, remembering the fight with my student. I knew once that story got out it would prove endless amount of amusement for everyone I was close to.

"**She happened. She got a clean hit and it just snapped off."**

They all turned to her but she had kept her gaze on the ground. Drak was staring at her with curiosity. I knew he would be the most open for he had hunted with an ooman female as well. She had died with honor over fifty years ago when she had gone against a Calvic Tiger, once the most dangerous creatures only honored warriors hunt and most either fail to kill it or it kills them. I've killed three of them.

I looked to Shim'kara, the only female on the council. She was older than me but she hasn't been on the council that long. Her armor was a dull green with a vibrant emerald cloak behind her. Her dreadlocks were past her shoulders and to the middle of her back. She stood at full height 10'5 and she knew how to intimidate us. Her skin was pale with an orange tint to it with black diamonds across her arms, legs and belly. Her red eyes were always flickering around to check her surroundings. She had a bored look on her face. She didn't care much for humans so I had no idea how she would react to Daz but I also knew she adored children.

Yukrex'saf was one that I knew would be the one to refuse her the most. He was much older than me and was feared by all except Drak'melk. His armor was a deep, rich black with a long ebony cloak. He kept his long dreadlocks wrapped up and away from his face. He was also one of the tallest males around. He was tall enough to look average females in the eye. He was completely black with no pale flesh at all. His black eyes were drilled onto Daz. He intimidated a lot of hunters and he hated humans with a passion. He was also a good friend of Jadrec'zic's father.

The last one was Merdrej'qif. He was a very unique Hunter. He was the oldest but only by a couple of years to Drak'melk. His armor was a bright red and his cloak was crimson. When he isn't on the hunt he is always in the back ground. He was barely pushing 8 ft. and his skin a dark brown with gold spots. His bright amber eyes were always filled with boredom. He hardly ever speaks and keeps to himself but when he is on a hunt there was only thing you did if you were with him. You did what he said. He is one of the best tactical hunters around. When he planned a hunt he would follow it to the letter and make improvements when he saw fit. If you shied away from his plan then he would give you a painful lesson in obedience. You shut up and obey when hunting with him.

I was the last member. There was always 5 members only. When one of us died then we would go over all hunters to see who would take their place. When we would go on a hunt we would try to keep it to a year each but now I was hoping to get a special extension to train Daz off world. She wasn't ready for the jungles of our planet. It would be hard but I was ready for a fight to keep my student.

"**Where did you find her?"**

"**I had just finished my hunting on her planet when we met. From what I understand she was looking for a Hunter."**

"**She was looking for a Hunter? Why would she look for one of us?"**

"**I do not know. She just said she was looking for a teacher. She did say I'm not the first of our kind to meet her. She's met another; an Honored Warrior."**

"**Did she give a name?"**

"**She met Vlk'leita."**

More silence. I could understand their shock. Vlk'leita was like a ghost on this planet. Very few would get to hunt with him and his accomplishments were legendary for his age. To meet him would a great honor for any Hunter. She had yet to tell me of what happened when she met him. Shim'kara turned back to Daz.

"**What is her name?"**

"**I've named her Daz'cridxa."**

"**I meant her human name."**

I turned to her. She had been in the same position for 30 minutes. Her stamina was excellent. This next part would be a good part to see if she could obey the rules while in here. I turned back to my fellow Hunters.

"Ashley."

(Ashley)

Hearing my name I almost looked up but forced myself to remain very still. I knew Jaran was testing me. As they spoke I tried to understand with the limited knowledge I knew but it was hard to keep up. The first voice was deep and rich but it had a light tone to it as well. The second voice was female. Her voice was very smooth and it carried a maternal tone to it.

Jaran's voice always soothed me and I could tell the conversation was going well because he was still relaxed and calm at the moment. At the creak of a chair moving I kept myself from tensing. The sound of boots nearing sounded like a death march to me. At the moment I was the most vulnerable. It was probably the Head Ancient Drak'melk coming towards us. He alone had the decision of accepting right then and there or refusing to let me train under Jaran.

"She bears the color of Paya."

"Yes. I thought it a good color seeing as how she was born with it and as her name says she is very deserving of the color."

There was a moment of silence.

"You've already tested her?"

"I would not have even brought her if I didn't know what her skill level was like."

I felt my body start to shake but I kept my position. My body was going stiff and numb. The heat was only making it worse but I said nothing.

"What tests did you give her?"

This new voice was so soft even though it was male. Like it was hardly ever used but it also carried a tone that I didn't recognize but I did understand that it was dangerous and that he wasn't a Hunter I wanted to cross. Jaran took a while to answer and his voice shook like he was in shock.

"Her first test was hand-to-hand combat with me. She showed advanced aptitude for it and she surprised me with her flexibility and agility. She passed that test by bringing me to my knees."

"WHAT! How could a child could bring you to your knees?"

This new voice sent a tremor down my spine. It was so cold and had a dark undertone to it. This hunter was to be avoided at all costs. I tried to muffle my laughter but a snicker still escaped and I knew they all heard it. By the way Jaran was shifting on his feet told me he hoped they wouldn't be told of that part.

"Ashley how about you tell us how you tell us how you did it?"

The first voice was the one that spoke and just seconds later a tap at the base of my neck. I felt relief go through in a rush. I had been somewhat accepted. I straightened myself and took it this new Hunter. His armor was blue. I knew who this was. I bowed my head quickly.

"Yes Master Drak'melk."

I explained from my POV of how the test had gone but once I got to the end I faltered. I wanted to let Jaran have some dignity. I scratched the back of my head. Drak'melk coked his head before looking at Jaran. They had a staring contest before Drak just suddenly grinned. He looked back at me. The look on his face was one that held untold amount of glee.

"How about you show us how you did it?"

I wanted to say no but I couldn't. Jaran said that when Drak asked for something you gave it. But I didn't want to go through with it. I knew that it was a move that you used in desperate moments. I must've taken too long to obey for another set of footsteps approached at a rapid pace and before I knew what was happening my left arm was in a very painful grip but I refused to make a sound.

I turned my defiant eyes to the Hunter armored in black. If I thought his voice was bad his presence was even worse. Before I had been in a blazing heat, but now I felt as if I was in the Arctic. I knew I was disobeying by looking him in the eye.

"When Drak'melk tells you something you better do it ooman."

I just knew he despised me for just being here. My eyes flashed and I growled at him. They all stiffened when out of the shadows Ra leapt out and grabbed hold of his arm that wasn't holding me. The Hunter howled and started to release me when I used my right arm and grabbed his arm. I used that leverage to perform a back flip while at the same time sending both of my feet to his crotch. I finished my flip and landed a good distance away while Ra finally let go and crouched in front of me.

Just like with Jaran, this Hunter didn't make much noise except for cursing my existence. The other Hunters were still in a state of shock while Jaran had a proud smile on his face. He gripped Drak's shoulder while still grinning.

"That would be the move she used to bring me to my knees."

(Jaran)

Watching Daz take down Yukrex'saf, I didn't know if I should feel proud or fear. She had just taken down another high ranking Hunter. Just by looking I can tell there was more power in that hit then when she did that to me. It just shows how much stronger she's gotten in the last eight months. I guess Ra's armor works. I had asked for it to keep his heat signature hidden. None of them expected such a large canine to appear. I looked to my fellow Hunters.

Yukrex'saf was still on the floor taking deep breaths with an occasional curse at Daz. Shim'kara was sitting back in her chair with a very large grin on her face. I knew then we had her acceptance. Drak was alternating between looking at Daz and Ra to staring at me with an incredulous look. What had everyone jumping was the sound of laughing. We all turned to see Merdrej'qif in a mad laughing fit.

"Did I break him?"

I turned to see Daz watching Merdrej'qif with a worried look. I was feeling the same way. I don't think anyone has seen him act like this before but it broke the dam for Drak. He fell to his knees laughing as well. I turned to watch Shim'kara. She was more professional about it but she was still laughing as well. I gave into my urge and began to laugh. I motioned Daz forward. She carefully walked around Yukrex'saf and stood by my side. I crouched down to her while still chuckling.

"Good job my student."

(Ashley)

Hearing Jaran say that made me breathe with relief. I looked over at the other Hunters. The female was smiling down at me gently. Her expression was warm and comforting. Her green aura felt like it was drawing me like the trees I would climb. It was a feeling I missed very much after losing my mother. I smiled back, nervously hoping I wouldn't get in trouble for doing so.

The male in red armor had come to stand next to Drak'melk. He was still chuckling as he nodded to me. He patted me on the head before smacking Drak'melk on the back. The Head Ancient took a few more moments before standing up. He followed the other male's example and rubbed my head before clicking over at the fallen male. A loud snarl and a sharp click was his reply. All the others frowned before he got up and glared at me. He growled deep and low. I growled right back at him.

"You had better learn your place runt before I teach it to you myself."

"You must feel real big to threaten a kid."

"Don't you back sass me brat."

"Yeah well that just means you sassed me first."

I knew I was going to be in so much trouble later on but I wasn't being reprimanded at the moment so I felt safe to continue.

"Besides I did what I was told. Drak'melk didn't say I was supposed to do it on Jaran. You were the idiot that attacked me first."

"Enough you two. We need to finish hearing Jaran's evaluation of her."

I was ready to get back to that but it seems this guy just wasn't ready to forget his moment of humiliation. He was still close to me that I was able to hear him and I knew everyone else could hear him as well.

"_She doesn't seem like much if she needs a mutt to help her in her fights."_

"You're just pissed because you didn't even know he was here. That says so much about your abilities."

He spun and was about to back slap me when I was jerked away and thrown to the floor. My ears were ringing at the loud roars echoing inside the chamber. Jaran stood in front of me while the others held the black male back. His black eyes were trying to drill their way to my soul.

"**HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY ABILITIES AS A HUNTER! I SHOULD RIP YOUR HEAD RIGHT OFF!"**

I hissed at him.

"You insulted mine first. You started this so it's not my fault you don't like the truth."

"**You ain't nothing you worthless little runt."**

I felt my body freeze at that. That tone and those words brought an unwanted memory back to the surface. One I had tried to lock away forever.

_(Flashback start)_

_The door opened and then there was a scream and the smell of blood. I covered my mouth to keep the scream from coming out. The man had the knife to mommy's throat. Daddy stood in the doorway with a shocked look on his face. His hand was pinned to the wall with a knife._

"_So glad you could join us. You just wait right there while I play with this lovely lady."_

_I could hear mommy's screams and daddy's yells for her to be left alone. When I heard a sigh of relief I stopped shaking hoping the strange man would leave soon. Mommy and daddy had gone quiet when I heard a click and then daddy gasp. After that came a loud bang. I wasn't able to contain my scream this time._

_I gripped my knife as I heard footsteps come closer. When I a hand reached under the bed I swiped my knife towards it. The man yelped and then I heard daddy._

"_Ashley run! Go get help! You need to get away from here!"_

"_So you were hiding here the whole time huh? Well looks like I'll have another plaything."_

_I crawled from under the bed just as daddy tackled the man. There wasn't a lot of space and they were both blocking the door. I looked to the window to see it was still open. I ran to it and climbed but I hesitated and looked back at daddy. He looked back for a second as well._

"_GO! You can do this. I know you can. You're strong and brave. Go get help."_

"_**You ain't nothing you worthless little brat."**_

_I jumped from the window just as a loud crack went off. I turned to the jungle and just kept running._

_(Flashback end)_

I didn't notice but whole room went quiet after I froze. I jerked myself awake and turned hate filled eyes back to this Hunter. He reminded me in every single way of that man; his hate, his eyes and his attitude.

"**Ell-osde' pauk."**

It was the one phrase I could say perfectly and I knew what it meant. I was sick of this place and I didn't want to be in this Hunter's presence any more. I was done with this and I didn't care if I was destroying my chances or not.

"I'm not here to get your approval. I'm not here to be insulted. I'm not here to be disgraced. I'm because I want to hunt. I'm here to prove I can hunt under your rules. I'm here because I want to be a Hunter. If I'm actually the first student Jaran has then I'm not surprised. You probably enjoy making him miserable. I don't care if you hate me. I don't care if I'm human. I don't care if you're jealous of Jaran. I don't care if you're part of the council and I certainly don't care what your opinion of him teaching me is. If you don't approve of him then I'll just go find another teacher and I won't stop until you do approve one. And if you aren't happy then you can just go shove it up your ass and die because I am done here."

I turned around and headed over to Ra. The five Hunters I left behind were still in shock.

"Ra, get us out of here. We're leaving."

A small cannon Jaran had installed powered up on his side. It started glowing before it shot a blue bolt at the door. A small explosion rocked the room and when the dust cleared a hole was in the doorway. I led Ra out before climbing onto his back and taking off into the city back to the ship. I was so done here.

_**Author's Note-**__** I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was so much writing it. Please leave a nice review. Now I have something fun you might like. A little challenge. In the next chapter she meets someone her own age. Who it is depends on one of you. This young male will one day be fighting for her affections. If you wanna make a character then leave it in the review. He'll need looks and a personality. I will decide which one will be best in the story. I enjoy having other author's put a little piece of themselves in my stories. Now onto the last chapter's reviews.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick**__**- I hope the wait was worth it.**_

_**Shades-Soul**__**- Because teasing you guys is so much fun.**_

_**Luv4Uncas**__**- Believe me her life is not gonna be a walk in the park but she'll enjoy it.**_

_**Luna Uchiha666**__**- Is this soon enough for you.**_


	6. Get Back To The Ship!

_**Author**__**'**__**s**__**Notes-**__**I**__**'**__**m **__**sorry **__**for **__**taking **__**so **__**long. **__**I**__**'**__**ll **__**explain **__**at **__**the **__**bottom. **__**Hope **__**you **__**all **__**enjoy **__**this **__**chapter. **__**I **__**wanna **__**thank **__**my **__**beta **__**Khalthar **__**for **__**putting **__**up **__**with **__**me.**_

(Ashley)

Ra and I have been running for hours. What that black Ancient had said broke something in me. Something I had struggled with for quite some to keep hidden and locked away. After a while I had Ra stop and I took a look around. Dread quickly filled my heart. I had no idea where I was. I couldn't see the tower where we had been and I didn't know which way the docking platform where our ship was.

"Jaran is going to freaking kill me."

Ra replied with a sarcastic woof.

"Yes I know I'm in trouble. You don't need to rub it in you know."

A series of barks sounded off.

"Well, why didn't you just take us back to the ship? You didn't need my permission to head there."

A moment of silence.

"You don't know where the ship is either do you?"

I received a deep growl.

"Oh don't you dare blame this on me. It's not like I'm capable of remembering everything when Jaran was leading us."

A loud snarl tore through the area.

"Well you should've told me before we left the tower. Now we're lost with no idea of how to get to the tower or the ship."

A soft whimper reached my ears.

"I don't hate you and I never will but Jaran is gonna punish us both. At the moment though I think we should try to find a place to hide for a while. I'd rather not be seen just yet."

I looked around, hoping to find a hiding spot quickly. I had no idea when these streets would become busy. If we could find an enclosed hole Ra would be able to hide us both, thanks to his armor. We stalked the streets hoping to find a quiet place but it grew harder as more yautja appeared.

"This is ridiculous. This would be so much easier if we could-"

Ra's deep growl shook me and I looked to see what he was staring at. A great pile of scrap metal and crates were bunched up on a cart. I was hesitant because we didn't know where it would be going but the sound of clicking made me choose quickly.

"Let's go for it Ra."

He raced forward and leapt into the pile while hardly making a sound. As we dug our way through the footsteps came closer. When there was a hole big enough for us both I let Ra go first then followed him while covering the opening with a large piece of metal. We got in there just in time as two male Yautja came into view. The language they spoke was pretty rough but one word I recognized was ship bay. I started praying they would head for Jaran's ship.

Once the cart started moving I wondered what Jaran was doing right now. From what I've learned from being around him is that he always keeps a level head and stays calm in any situation.

(Jaran)

"**I SWEAR TO CETANU THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER IT WILL BE YOUR HEAD!"**

(Ashley)

A quiet woof made me curl into Ra.

"Jaran won't do anything stupid. He's smarter than that. He's probably tracking us right now."

(Jaran)

"-And once I'm done rearranging your organs I'll get started on breaking every bone in your body and once I'm done with that I'll-"

(Ashley)

A low growling filled the small space.

"I know I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble once he finds us. You don't need to rub it in. He'll probably just increase the weights and number of laps I'm supposed to do."

(Jaran)

"I'm gonna give that girl the worst spanking ever. She won't be able to sit for weeks."

(Ashley)

Our conversation was cut off when the cart came to an abrupt halt. I opened the metal to take a quick peek. I felt my heart start to race. It was a ship dock but it was loaded with other Hunter ships. Hunters were everywhere. Some looked like they had just arrived. Most looked like they were getting ready to leave. There was also a good sized crowd of females watching as the males strutted around with the trophies they had brought back with them or proudly showed off any impressive scars they earned on their hunts.

I pulled my attention away when I felt some of the metal being pulled out of the cart. I could felt my heart trying to beat out of my chest. They would find me and possibly make me a slave. Ra whined quietly behind me. As our protection was slowly pulled away I felt my hand touch something damp. I looked down.

There seemed to be some kind of black muck on some of these large metal sheets. I would have to cover myself with it if I was to avoid detection. My outfit from Jaran would be ruined beyond repair but I had no choice. As I slapped it on I could hear more hunters approaching. They must be looking for spare parts for their weapons or their ships. As I slathered my hair with I realized something. Even if I covered my face they would still be able to tell I was human.

My heart sank as I watched as our hideout was almost uncovered when Ra dropped something in my lap. It was a Hunter's helmet but much smaller. It must've been for a child. I didn't give it another thought as I jammed it to my face. I quickly tore my loin cloth and tied it under my hair to both sides of the helmet so it wouldn't fall off. I grabbed a hold of Ra as the last piece of metal was taken away and I was being stared at by an older Hunter.

It felt like we stared at each other for hours when only a few minutes went by. He shook his head while making a sound between a sigh and a chuckle. He turned to the other male as he walked back to the cart.

"_Looks like we have a little stowaway Prek'iz'mer. What do we do with him?"_

Even though I was shocked that I was able to understand him I still felt mildly insulted at being called a boy. I guess there were translators inside these helmets. I began to wonder if it worked both ways when the other male started snickering.

"_Has it really been that long since you sired a pup to not know the difference between a boy and a girl?"_

Other Hunters had started to notice that they were just standing there so I started to panic again when they started coming over. A male that was built like a tank pushed himself through the others and stuck his face right in my hiding spot. The helmet helped identified each one by scent and this Hunter's musk was very strong.

"_Bet she was trying to play Hunter with her brothers. I know my daughters try to do that. She must be good to swipe her brother's helmet and stay hidden for this long. What's your name little one?"_

For someone his size he was very quiet. I had no idea if I should answer him or not. More Hunters were gathering around and I couldn't keep myself from shaking. The big male cocked his head to the side before straightening up and turning himself around and roared. And I mean he got all of their attention.

"_You__'__re __scaring __her, __now __how __about __you __all __head __back __to __your __ships? __Bakuub__, __could __you __go __get __an __official?__"_

A very young male nodded before quickly taking off. The big male turned back to me and started reaching when Ra began to growl at him. All three males froze before scanning the cart but I knew they wouldn't be able to locate the big, black dog. Jaran had made sure that Ra's armor was top of the line for both of our protection. Well, my protection until I was capable of taking care of myself.

"_Little one I promise you I won't hurt you. Just come on out of there."_

"_I don't trust strangers."_

Even to myself my voice was small but he heard it just fine. At least I knew this helmet translated for me so I wouldn't have to worry about that for now. I didn't know if I could trust him because I couldn't see his clan symbol. I looked behind him to see the dock was now full of Hunters. Most were standing around, looking in our direction. I knew we needed to get out of here and soon because I could see the young male coming back with an important looking Hunter with him.

"_Just give me your name and we'll get you home."_

I was about to answer when a shout cut me off. This new Hunter made me think he was a Yautjian police officer.

_Hey Dai'reckzt I hear you got yourself a lost kid."_

This new voice sounded cheerful and pleasant but it was the name of this male that caught my attention. He was the one that called Jaran right before we left the ship. He was one of Jaran's friends and someone I hoped I could trust.

"_Dai'reckzt, my name is Daz'cridxa."_

He smiled at me before turning back to the other Hunter but I reached out and grabbed his arm before he could leave.

"_I'm Jaran'tsk's student. You have to help me find him. We were at the tower and Yukrex'saf got into an argument and I ran. I don't know where I am or how to get to his ship. Jaran doesn't want anyone to know who I am."_

For a moment he looked completely shocked and stunned. I know I didn't tell the whole truth but hopefully he didn't need the whole truth. I thought it would be all over when the other Hunter arrived but Dai shook himself out of his state and waved him off.

"_It's okay I know where she belongs now. I'm actually heading that way right now. I'll be more than happy to take her home on my way."_

"_Oh, well, thank you Dai. That helps a lot. We'll you be bringing Jaran with you to the party?"_

Dai looked at me real quick before slowly shaking his head.

"_I talked to him right before he left his ship. He said he'll in a meeting with the others for a while. He said to not expect to see him there."_

"_Shame. Well if you see him tell him I said hello."_

"_Will do, later Cref'oj."_

As the others lost interest Dai slowly turned back to me and just stared for a bit before sighing and reached in all the way to pull me out. This time Ra was quiet as he followed me out. Dai said nothing as he grabbed hold of me and felt the muck smear onto his chest and arms. He motioned with his head and the young male from before followed after us. With the helmet on I wasn't able to see what their features were like.

"_You're lucky little one that Jaran gave me the code to his ship. I'll get the full story once we're there. Bakuub, make sure no one is following us."_

"_Of course father."_

I kept quiet as we made our way through the streets quickly. Dai was taking no chances. Thanks to this helmet I was barely able to see Ra keep pace with us. He ran alongside Bakuub. I wondered how he would react if he knew Ra was there. I lifted my head from Dai's shoulder and saw the streets were no longer crowded. There were Yautja around but their number dropped dramatically.

"_We are in the higher ranked area now. It is for the Hunters that wish to have a more private life. Jaran has his own private dock. It is right up ahead."_

We came to a large set of gates and I watched as Dai typed a long set of numbers before the keypad lit up and the doors swung open. After we all came through Dai set me down and re-locked the gates. I didn't bother paying attention now that I was in some place more familiar. I rushed down the path and felt relief go through me as I set my eyes on the ship that I called home. I bounced on the balls of my feet as I waited for Dai and Bakuub to get here and open the ship.

"_While you get cleaned up I will call Jaran and let him know that you are safe."_

I nodded my head as the ramp lowered and set down before Ra and I ran into the ship and headed straight for my room. I could hear the clicking of their nails as they followed after us. I typed in my code and rushed in while pulling off the helmet and letting it hit the floor as the door shut and locked itself. Even though the outfit was most likely ruined I was still careful with taking it off and hanging it on a chair. I started the shower and helped Ra out of his armor. He gave a happy bark and shook himself before jumping into the shower. I shook my head and let him enjoy himself while I took off my boots, gloves, and undergarments.

"Hurry up Ra. I'm all itchy."

He gave me a pitiful look before jumping out and shaking all the water out of his coat. He waited for me on the floor as I climbed into the boiling water to finally get clean and relax.

(Jaran)

After Daz had taken off, the room had exploded into chaos. Drak and Merd had done just about everything they could to keep me from leaping onto Yukrex and ripping him to shreds. Kara had taken it upon herself to beat him for me but it still wasn't enough for my rage. Once I had gotten through with my threats, my thoughts immediately turned to Daz.

'_Where was she? Was she okay? Did she know the way back to the ship? What if someone found her?'_

Each thought made my panic rise. She was out there all by herself and while Ra was good protection, if an official hunter found her all hope would be lost.

"Jaran you need to stay calm. We'll never find her if you keep this up."

I so badly wanted to rage at Kara to let me handle this my way but I didn't want to piss her off. Yelling at her would only end badly. Even if you were higher ranked like myself.

"We can all yell at Yukrex later but we should with searching for her and getting her hidden before someone finds her and turns her into a slave."

Drak's words made my heart freeze. If an ooman was found on the planet with no markings saying she was owned by someone then anyone was free to make her a slave. I was ready to have another panic attack when the console started lighting up. Merdrej'qif walked over and answered the call. Dai's cheerful voice rang throughout the room.

"Hey Jaran I found something that belongs to you. She's small, young and has a very large canine with her."

I immediately suckered myself to Merdrej'qif's side. He didn't seem to mind as all of our attention was now on the small screen. I could see Dai's son Bakuub in the background.

"She was found in the ship docking port."

He got no further as my famous temper came out.

"**SHE ****WAS ****WHERE? ****PLEASE ****TELL ****ME ****SHE****'****S ****SAFE?**"

Everyone else took a large step away from me but I hardly noticed. She was found in the worst place for her to be. I can only hope she didn't attack someone.

"She's fine. She was able to recognize me from when I called you before. I was able to keep her under the radar as we got her to your ship without being followed. She's also pretty smart. The way she was able to stay hidden."

"What do you mean?"

"She buried herself in a metal scrap cart. She kept her identity hidden by having her helmet on. Everybody thought she swiped it from her older brother while playing with him."

"But she doesn't have a helmet. I never gave her one yet."

Confusion was flooding my mind. I knew she was good at thinking in serious situations but how had she been able to keep everyone from realizing she was human? My thoughts were showing on everybody else's faces.

"She was covered in some kind of muck so I have no idea what she was doing before she got to the dock. She's in her room right now cleaning herself up."

I didn't stay a second longer after that. I knew I didn't look like the dignified Hunter I was but I didn't care as I practically ran from the tower to my ship in five minutes flat. I sent the code to the gates and ran right through before they had fully opened. I ignored Bakuub who was at the foot of the ramp and he jumped aside as I ran past. I didn't stop until I got to her room. I put the code in and waited impatiently as the door opened slowly. I could hear the shower going still so I settled down on her bed and put myself through some meditating exercises. I didn't want to scare her or harm her so I took some time to calm down.

(Ashley)

After cleaning all the muck off I took some time to relax under the water. I wondered what would happen now. I was pretty sure I had no chance with Jaran but I had meant what I said back in the council room. I would continue to find Hunters until they would accept me. As I shut off the water I could hear Ra whining. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me and walked to where he was sitting in the doorway. When I looked to see what he was staring at my heart froze. Jaran was sitting on my bed and he didn't look happy.

(Jaran)

Once the water shut off I had to fight myself to keep from leaping in there. Ra came to the doorway and became very still once he caught sight of me. His ears lowered as he sat down and began to whine. Even he knew the trouble they were in. After this was all over I would start all those tests to find out if he was a Gkinmara Wolf but that was for later.

Once Daz came through wearing a towel I was able to restrain myself from running to her as I walked over to her and knelt down. I could smell her fear and could see her trembling. Her heart was pounding as we stared at each other before I finally gave in and pulled her into a hug. She was still for a second before she melted into it and embraced me as well.

"I'm so glad you are safe."

She tightened her hold.

"I was so worried something would happen to you."

She shaking started again.

"I'm so sorry. I panicked and didn't think about anything else except for getting away from him."

I didn't need to question who _he _was.

"Did you honestly think I would let him harm you and get away with it?"

"It wasn't what he did it was what he said that hurt."

I thought back to what he had said before she had snapped and left. He had called her worthless.

"Why would that hurt you? What did that really mean to you?"

She was quiet for a bit before she turned to face me. I could see the tears in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"Do you remember where we met? In that jungle?"

I nodded my head slowly.

"When I was eight my parents and I were in that same jungle and one night a man came into our home and he, uh, he raped my mommy in front of me."

I could feel her shaking and knew that she was just starting to get to the worst part of what she was going to tell me. I tightened my hold on her as her voice started shaking as well.

"He didn't know I was there but I heard and saw everything. I remember my mom's screams and I can still remember all the blood everywhere as he cut her with his knife. And then we all heard my daddy coming. I wanted to warn him but I was so scared. When daddy came in there was a big bang. He shot mommy in the head and then lunged for daddy. They wrestled for a bit. Then that man hit the floor and saw me under the bed."

I could smell her tears as they finally fell.

"When he smiled I crawled out and ran to the window while daddy was telling me to run. I was afraid to leave but daddy said I could do it when that man said I was nothing but a worthless little brat."

And now I could see the connection with her reaction.

"After I ran into the jungle I heard another gunshot and then I knew I was all alone. I could hear him following me and when I tripped and hurt my knee he found me. I hit him with my knife and he slapped me. I could remember his black eyes looking into mine. He was walking towards me when I saw three red dots on his head."

'_This __must __be __when __she __met __Vlk__'__leita.__'_ I thought.

"When the blast rang out I saw his body fall to the ground. I didn't know what to think so I just there until I saw this big man appear out of nowhere. He walked over to the body and poured some blue stuff over it. Once it was gone he turned to me but I refused to let him help me. I was able to get back home by myself and I was so happy to see Ra was still alive."

It was nice to know she still had some piece of her life before.

"He drugged me though when we got there and I don't remember anything until the next morning. I woke up to see all my injuries taken care of. He even took care of Ra's injuries. He told me all about his people and what they did. Once he left I came to terms with what happened. I don't really much of what I did in the following weeks but over the years I felt like I had been cheated somewhat. My parents had been tortured, they had suffered and their killer was given a swift death just like that and my parents weren't the only victims he had."

There was something in her tone that made me cautious.

"I promised myself I would meet Vlk'leita again and take back what is mine."

"What do you mean take back what is yours?"

"What I was taught was that if someone took a kill that wasn't theirs then taking them down would make it yours again. I need to defeat Vlk'leita if I want vengeance for my parent's death. That man wasn't his to take and if it was then he should've made him suffer."

Now I understood why she wanted a teacher. She wanted a rightful justice for her parents. She wanted the honor of that kill to be hers. She was right in her own way. Vlk'leita had not taken that kill honorably. She needed a teacher who would help rise above the ranks and help her reach his level. It would take a few years but I was positive I could make her into a true warrior.

I pulled her away to look her in the eye.

"We will discuss this when no one else is on board. Right now we have guests and we must thank them for bringing you here safely."

She nodded her head before heading back to the bathroom to wash her face. I pulled her training outfit out and set it on the bed. I noticed her white outfit was absolutely filthy but I was sure I could save it. I grabbed it on my way out. Her punishment would come later once we were alone.

(Ashley)

Once my face was washed I walked out to see Jaran gone but a clean outfit left on my bed. I rolled my eyes but still smiled. Even though I would never say it to his face he acted a lot like my mom. I got dressed and headed for the bridge of the ship with Ra at my side. As I got closer I could hear voices yelling. I slowed down and crept my way forward, hoping my stealth would be good enough to eavesdrop on the conversation but I wilted a bit when I realized they were speaking in their own tongue. I pouted quietly when Ra nudged me. I looked down to see him carrying the helmet. I patted him on the head before putting it on and listening in.

"_She is nothing but a waste of time and it is an insult to all of us if you were to train her."_

Three guesses on who THAT was.

"_I think she'll make a fine Hunter someday. It certainly is refreshing having her around to lighten the mood."_

I was so beginning to like this female.

"_It will be a sight to watch her grow and learn under your influence Jaran."_

I wonder if Jaran has ever hunted with this quiet male. It would be an interesting experience.

"_Just as long as you come visit us and bring her along so we see how she is doing then you're more than welcome to train her. So since it's three-to-one I guess Jaran has a new student."_

I couldn't hold in my excitement any longer. I raced into the room and with a high leap and a happy scream I grabbed a hold of Jaran and brought the both of us crashing to the floor. Though I'm sad to say that even though he flinched when we made contact, he didn't make a sound as we went down. Ra came bounding in after me barking up a storm. I was quite content to stay there when a large hand came down to pull me off of Jaran.

"_You didn't say your student was an ooman Jaran."_

Once I was set on my feet I turned to see Dai and Bakuub. I took off the helmet to see what these two looked like. I could definitely see the resemblance between the two. Instead of black skin they had a dark brown with red tinted skin. They had no markings on their bodies. Dai was well built and had many scars adorning his body while Bakuub had very little. I noticed Bakuub had no blooded mark so I knew he was a student like me. They both had the same eyes though and they were a magnificent orange.

Jaran answered him but I couldn't understand him until I remembered to put the helmet back on.

"_-Keeping her under the radar until she can defend herself. Especially from my mate's clan, all of them."_

He turned to Yukrex as he said this and I was confused by this as they were all glaring at him. He glared right back at Jaran until a growl from Drak made him answer.

"_I swear on my honor that I won't tell anyone of her existence until Jaran'tsk gives me permission."_

I knew there was bad blood between these two but I kept my thoughts to myself when they all turned to me. Jaran knelt down and tapped my helmet.

"_Where did you find this? This is a rare helmet made for pups like yourself."_

"_Ra found it in the cart that we were in. I knew that I needed to hide my face so I tied it to my head."_

"_We __might __be __able __to __use __it __until __we __get __you __one __that__'__s __made __just __for __you.__"_

I nodded my head as the council finally decided to leave. Drak'melk was first. He knelt down and bumped his head on mine. I repeated the action, even though it made me dizzy. He grinned before grasping Jaran's shoulder and leaving. Shim'kara surprised me by kneeling down and hugging me. I was stunned for a moment when she started to purr. I smiled before hugging her back. She released me and nodded to Jaran while walking out of the room. Merdrej'qif rapped his knuckles on my helmet. As I was still dizzy from Drak's goodbye I responded by giving him a small growl. He simply chuckled while grabbing Jaran's shoulder on his way out. Yukrex'saf did nothing but nod to Jaran while ignoring me completely.

"_I want to thank you for saving Daz for me Dai. It means a lot to me that you helped her."_

"_Glad to be of service and she's a lot of fun. Drak told me all about the meeting. Girl has a lot of guts to do what she did. Can't wait to see what she'll be like when she's fully trained."_

"_Hopefully you'll be able to teach her some of your tricks in the future."_

"_Now that I've met her you can count on me. I can't wait to see how she does under my training. We might wanna get out of here now. I don't want to attract too much attention. You probably did that by racing here."_

Watching Jaran fidget told me he had done something undignified for an Ancient. I smirked behind my helmet.

"_Bakuub we are leaving say your goodbye. I'll see the two of you again soon."_

Dai grasped Jaran's shoulder and smiled down at me. I bowed to him and Bakuub. As they walked out of the room I watched as Jaran sat down with a loud sigh. It looked like he had aged a lot since this morning. But when he looked at me I knew that now that we were alone I wouldn't be able to escape punishment now. I hoped I would be alive once it was over.

"_And to think Daz. That was the easy part."_

_**Author**__**'**__**s**__**Notes-**__**I **__**hoped **__**you **__**all **__**enjoyed **__**this **__**long **__**chapter. **__**It **__**was **__**a **__**lot **__**of **__**fun **__**to **__**write. **__**I**__**'**__**ve **__**been **__**gone **__**so **__**long **__**because **__**my **__**mom **__**just **__**had **__**surgery **__**a **__**month **__**ago **__**to **__**remove **__**the **__**cancer **__**she**__**'**__**s **__**been **__**battling **__**for **__**the **__**past **__**eight **__**months. **__**Since **__**my **__**dad**__**'**__**s **__**been **__**working **__**a **__**lot **__**I**__**'**__**ve **__**been **__**taking **__**care **__**of **__**her **__**and **__**their **__**home **__**and **__**I **__**haven**__**'**__**t **__**really **__**feeling **__**up **__**to **__**writing **__**in **__**the **__**month **__**I**__**'**__**ve **__**been **__**gone. **__**So **__**she**__**'**__**ll **__**be **__**back **__**at **__**work **__**tomorrow **__**and **__**I**__**'**__**ll **__**be **__**free **__**again. **__**Now **__**let**__**'**__**s **__**check **__**out **__**the **__**reviews **__**of **__**the **__**last **__**chapter.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick-**__**So **__**I **__**take **__**it **__**you **__**think **__**my **__**story **__**is **__**awesome **__**then? **__**:P **__**Glad **__**you **__**like **__**it.**_

_**Shades-Soul-**__**I **__**think **__**that **__**was **__**everybody**__**'**__**s **__**favorite **__**part **__**in **__**that **__**chapter.**_

_**Plague**__**'**__**s**__**Vengeance-**__**I**__**'**__**m **__**so **__**glad **__**you **__**like **__**it.**_

_**Lady**__**Augustin-**__**I **__**like **__**my **__**characters **__**having **__**a **__**lot **__**of **__**spunk.**__**You**__**'**__**re **__**gonna **__**like **__**what **__**happens **__**when **__**she **__**meets **__**the **__**council **__**again **__**when **__**she**__**'**__**s **__**older.**_

_**16**__**SilverMoon**__**16-**__**Just **__**wait **__**when **__**she **__**goes **__**on **__**her **__**first **__**hunt **__**with **__**Jaran. **__**That **__**chapter **__**will **__**be **__**filled **__**with **__**epic. **__**I**__**'**__**ve **__**never **__**seen **__**rainbow **__**llamas **__**before. **__**Are **__**they **__**pretty?**_

_**Sam0728-**__**Don**__**'**__**t **__**worry **__**she**__**'**__**ll **__**get **__**older **__**as **__**the **__**story **__**goes **__**along. **__**Sorry **__**for **__**the **__**long **__**wait.**_

_**Luv4Uncas-**__**I**__**'**__**m **__**sorry **__**to **__**say **__**he **__**won**__**'**__**t **__**be **__**learning **__**anything. **__**He**__**'**__**ll **__**always **__**be **__**a **__**jerk **__**and **__**Ashley **__**will **__**forever **__**be **__**insulting **__**him.**_


	7. What Makes a Family

(Ashley)

I felt relaxed and completely at ease with my surroundings. The warm waters soothed my body of all the aches and pains. I could hear Ra near the water's edge, lounging in the shallow end. It felt nice to have the ship to myself for a bit. Two years had gone by since I'd been accepted to be Jaran's student. In that space of time I've gone through a tremendous change. At 14, I was now standing at 5'8. My hair, now in thick dreadlocks, was to my shoulders. Going through that was hard and took three times before it was finished.

My training was something that not just any human could go through. I was doing at least 30 laps in the pool and on the track with at least 100 lbs. on the days I did that kind of training. Most days now included weapons training, stealth, tracking, etiquette, skinning, and studying. I could now read and write the Yautja language. Jaran said that when I passed my Chiva I would be able to get a special translator. Most of the studying I did now was of the planets that held all of our prey. I was tested on where certain species where located on the planet and when was the best time to hunt them.

A special training session we had 6 months ago was when Dai'reckzt came to our ship. His son, Bakuub, wasn't with him since he was training for his own Chiva which would happen with a year. I was praying that he would do well. Dai had a special fighting style that he hoped to teach to me. Dai spent years studying his own race and looking for ways to bring his fellow Hunters down without doing too much damage to the body. When he taught it to me, I was completely surprised. This was something I had done myself when still on Earth and something I had tried using against Jaran in my tests.

This style was basically hitting certain points in the body that either caused that part of the body to shut down or cause loss in control of the limb altogether. When Dai realized that I had a pretty good idea of what this was he had me go through all his notes on the Yautja body. I realized that even though humans and Yautja bodies may look similar we are very different. Yautja have very few pressure points compared to humans so I would have to rely on my speed to get a hit in and then get away before they could grab me. I also had to compensate for the fact that their skin is 4 times thicker than a human. I would need to put a lot of power into my hits to accomplish anything.

The next bit of training I had to go through would be learning to use their weapons. Once Jaran got a specialized helmet I breezed through the shoulder cannon training. It took me several weeks for me to get the hang of the spear, whip, and the wrist knives. Daggers and hand-knives were very simple and quick for me to master since I had a lot of practice with these. The one weapon I struggled with the most would be the shuriken. Jaran had asked the Hunter who made my helmet also make me a pair of gloves that the shuriken couldn't cut through. Jaran had a large amount of weapons on his ship but I wasn't allowed to use them until after my Chiva.

The one weapon I wished I would be allowed to use would be my bow and arrows. But seeing as how they aren't durable enough for most of the prey we hunt all they were doing was collecting dust in my room. Even though Jaran was interested in them he couldn't use my set as they were too small for him. I came out of my thoughts when I heard Ra growl as he got out and shook himself. Realizing I had spent enough time soaking I got out too. Knowing I had the ship to myself I walked out with only a towel which I used to dry my hair with. Jaran had left two hours ago with Drak. It came as a surprise when he showed up four weeks ago. We just woke one day and walked to the kitchen area to get breakfast and there he was eating a strip of jerky while fiddling with his wrist computer.

Jaran saw this as a good opportunity to have a little bit of time to himself and just leave me with Drak. At first I thought it would be fun to spend some time off but I was dead wrong. As soon as Jaran left it was one-on-one with Drak. I was told that I would receive no break until I successfully landed at least five hits on Drak. It was harder than I thought. By the time Jaran came back, which was ten hours later, I was only able to get three hits in. I was covered in bruises, cuts and my left shoulder was dislocated. Jaran took one look at me and just started tearing into Drak. Jaran told me to go to the Medbay but I refused. I wouldn't leave until I got two more hits on Drak.

I spent another five hours trying to land my last hit on him. He tried to make it easier by slowing down but I pretty much pushed him into doing his best so as to not insult my skills. After I finally got my last hit I just relaxed my body and let it finally shut down. I didn't wake up for three days and when I did I saw that I wasn't alone in the Medbay. Drak was on a bed next to me covered in bandages. Jaran, obviously, didn't hold back once I passed out. But even Jaran couldn't deny that this was good training. Yautja were physically two times as fast as an ooman but a Kainde amedha is four times as fast as a human. I may not have liked how it started out but I will admit it was good training.

Shim'kara was another who came by every once in a while. Her excuse was I needed a female figure in my life. Being raised by just males was just wrong in her book. It took quite a few weeks before I grew used to her. Ever since my mom died I'd never had another female in my life. Orion never dated when I was living with him. Kara didn't teach me about weapons or fighting. She taught me about seduction. She said females needed to know from a young age on how to get males to do our bidding. She taught on to get males attention, how to flirt, how to talk, how to flaunt my body, and how to dress. Jaran thought I was too young to start this just yet and I personally agreed with him. I didn't have the need to find a male or even think of them. I didn't find males on my planet appealing so I doubted these males would be any different but Kara was a female you didn't cross. Jaran didn't say anything and neither did I. We were quiet and waited until she left once she felt I had taken her lessons to heart.

The other two Ancients never made an appearance though. Not that I wanted that jackass Yukrex here anyway. Merdrej though was always out either on hunts or in his little hiding place. He would disappear for months at a time and nobody ever knew where he went and nobody was stupid enough to follow him either. Even the other Ancients didn't know where he went. Jaran said that these two wouldn't be much use to me until I at least proved myself in a Chiva.

I was brought out of thoughts when I heard whining. I turned to see Ra standing next to the kitchen door. I smiled when my own stomach began to rumble. As the two of us went in to get lunch I wondered once more on where Jaran and Drak were at.

(Jaran)

Walking through the market place I admired the gift for Daz. It was something I had been planning for a while now and I knew she would enjoy it. With a lot of help from Drak, in other words threats and blackmail, the gift was made by a very well-known blacksmith Hunter. He still hunted every now and then but his passion lay in his weapon making skills and it showed. Drak was looking at her gift enviously.

"What is this gift for again?" I could feel my annoyance rising once again. I must've told him this at least thirty times now.

"It has been two years since she became my student and since she'll be going to her Chiva within six more months I thought I would spoil her a little bit."

"You just wanted an excuse just so you could have a new weapon in your collection didn't you?"

"…..Maybe….."

(Ashley)

Ra and I ran to the loading area once the ship told us they were back. Ra had grown more in the years we had been here. Jaran had done some tests on him with some help from Drak and they realized that Ra was a _Gkinmara Wolf_. Only really experienced Hunters were able to train and use them in specialized hunts. Jaran said that they could grow to the size of a Clydesdale horse. Their bodies are packed with muscles and like their name implies, they are capable of sensing any living creature within fifty miles of them. They use the horns they grow on their heads like special radar sensors. Ra's are barely touching his neck. Jaran said once he turns fifteen they'll reach his back. Some of these wolves have been seen with their horns the same length as their bodies. These horns grow continually and if they break or snap off they'll just grow back. I'm still puzzled though on how an alien wolf got to my planet but I'm not complaining.

We walked through the doors just as Jaran and Drak came walking off the small transport. Jaran was holding a very large bundle in his arms and Drak was still staring at it but he also had a large grin on his face. It took me a while before I was able to learn how to read their faces. It's not as easy as you think. Those mandibles make things very tricky. I bowed to both of them as they walked past.

"What did you get Sensei? Can I see? Is it for me?"

I was trying to poke the bundle but Jaran was making it difficult. He kept moving it away from my nimble fingers. Drak just stood off to the side and watched with that smirk still on his face. I could tell Jaran was enjoying this as well considering the big smile on his face.

"Oh stop tormenting the girl and give it to her. You want her to open it just as much she does."

Jaran just rolled his eyes before offering the bundle to me. I took it from him and set it down on the floor. The two Hunters stood behind me once I finally got it opened. I gasped. Inside were two sets of bows and two quivers of arrows but these sets were so much more different then my own. The bows looked to be made from a very strong metal and they were polished to shine beautifully. The ends of the bows were curved and both of them were flared. The wire for each bow was the exact same wire that Hunters use to string their kills in trees. I can guarantee that they wouldn't break anytime soon. The two quivers were filled with very thin arrows. I pulled one out to examine it. Their weight was perfectly balanced, even the fletching didn't over-balance it and the feathers themselves were from a bird I didn't know existed. They were a multitude of blues and purples. It was easy to see though that one set was for me while the larger set was for Jaran. I looked to him while holding my gift.

"I'm hoping that you could teach me how to use them now. We'll be going on a little hunting trip. Nothing too big for you just yet."

"YES!"

I took off to my room without another seconds delay. I was halfway there when I remembered something and heading back to the docking bay. Both were still there in the same positions though it looked like they were holding in their laughter. I gently put my bow and arrows down before leaping at Jaran. I wasn't able to knock him down but he stumbled around a bit before returning my hug.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Okay, okay, you're welcome. Now go get ready. But first say goodbye to Drak. He's leaving and chances are we won't see him until right before your Chiva."

I let go of Jaran before walking to Drak. I bowed to him but then he started growling. I rolled my eyes but still stood up with a smile. The one thing Drak hated more than anything was his best friends constantly bowing to him. He told me if we were alone that he wanted a hug instead. I'm beginning to wonder how many other Hunters have a softer side they keep hidden. Once he got his hug he shook Jaran's shoulder and with a smile he was gone. I watched his ship leave when a flick to the back of my head reminded me of our own plans.

"Better hurry if you want to go."

"Yes Sensei."

As I ran out of the room with the bundle and Ra running beside me Jaran shouted out that we would take Ra too, just in case. After getting Ra into his armor and putting my own on, we raced back to the bridge. I looked out the window to see a small planet covered in a lot land. There wasn't a lot of water sources on the planet so I had the feeling this place might have a muggy atmosphere. I was getting the setting on my helmet ready when the ship stated it was in stationary mode. Jaran turned to me once he was done with the controls.

"You all ready?"

He had his own bow and arrows already slung over his shoulders. I gave a big grin and a nod. Ra was prancing around the room, barking often. He knew something was happening and since we've barely left the ship since my training began it wasn't a surprise that the both of us had cabin fever.

I strapped Ra and myself in as Jaran started up the small ship. Jaran only used this ship to gather supplies from any major clan ships. I have yet to see what they looked like. Jaran refuses to let me go to one until I've had several more years of hunting under my belt. As we broke through the atmosphere I could feel my nerves rising. Going hunting was something I hadn't done in a while and I was ready to finally get back in the game.

"Prepare for landing Daz. This could get a little rough."

I nodded even though I had already put my hands on my shoulders and grabbed hold of the straps so I wouldn't jostle around too much. I barely noticed it as we landed. I was too excited to finally go on a hunt with Jaran. I was so excited that by the time Jaran had shut the ship down and unbuckled himself I was already at the door with Ra, who was just as excited.

(Jaran)

Watching her act like this was kinda cute but now it was time to get serious. It doesn't matter what kind of hunt you're on. Even little outings such as this needed to be handled like a professional Hunter. I grabbed my own gear and slung it over my shoulder and walked to the door where my student was at. I rapped my knuckles over the back of her head.

"Is this how a Hunter acts? Stand straight and tall, don't fidget. Arms at your side facing forward."

She immediately went into her stance and locked up all her muscles before I even finished talking. The only sound was her breathing. Her reaction time has always been one of the best I've ever seen. Once I was sure she was ready I opened the door. A blast of heat rushed at us. I gave our surroundings a quick once over to make sure nothing was in the immediate area. I glanced back at Daz and nodded before setting out into the jungle.

(Ashley)

Once we started our walk I took the time to observe my surroundings. These were vastly different than the ones on Earth. The trees were much bigger and they looked to be connected to each, either by their roots or their branches were interlocking with each other. There were a multitude of different birds and other small creatures racing through the trees. A good amount of them were telling others of our passage. Hopefully we would a find good open area because with someone of Jaran's size we would need a lot of space.

Ra was going crazy. All the sights, sounds, and smells were overwhelming him but he looked to be enjoying himself a lot. He barked like a mad man one moment then he'd be off to sniff or bark at something else. Jaran looked to be just as amused at Ra as I was. I wasn't watching when Jaran stopped so I walked straight into his back. I looked ahead of us and saw a vast meadow. It was perfect. I tapped his arm and nodded to him. He put his finger to his lips and then pointed to a tall tree with a few low branches.

He wanted me to stay put while he scouted the area to make sure we didn't disturb anyone. I was already climbing when he cloaked himself and stalked out onto the meadow. Ra stayed right beneath me but he was ready to leap onto the meadow if Jaran was threatened. Ra was just as protective of Jaran as he was with me. The meadow was silent for at least ten minutes before Jaran uncloaked himself called me over. I jumped and landed in a crouch before taking off with Ra at my heels.

I took my bow and looked around for a good target. It would be better if we started with a stationary target first. I saw an old tree with a large white patch of bark and figured it would have to do. I pointed over to it and when I was sure he saw it I brought my bow up and took my stance. Even though it has been a few years since I used a bow and arrow the familiar stance brought everything rushing back. Easy as thought I leaned into my bow after I notched an arrow, I sent it winging off to the target where it hit the bark with a loud thwack.

I stood back as I savored the moment before turning to see Jaran clapping. He didn't give praise often so I enjoyed it when I did get it. After that came the, what I thought would be a long process of teaching Jaran how to shoot the arrow. I shouldn't have been so surprised to see him learn in under an hour. He carried his bow like a pro. He leveled his bow as he notched his arrow, then took his stance and shot three arrows towards the mark. Instead of aiming above it to allow for the distance like I was taught, he aimed level at it, and the yard-long arrows sprang from his bow with such force that they carried straight to the target, burying their heads in the wood. I blinked and murmured, "Great Paya!" once I saw all three shafts hit the mark.

Once I knew we were done with the tree we set off to look for real prey. Most of my prey would small but I had a feeling that Jaran would be hunting something much bigger. We were running low on meat and it has been a while since we had a fresh kill and I could use a skinning lesson. As we walked I was continually putting small birds and such in a pack that was tied to Ra's back. Jaran mainly scoffed at my kills but I could care less. As long as I got something from this hunting trip I'd be happy. Beside I planned to use the bones for a necklace or hair ornaments.

Jaran had gone up ahead as Ra and I took a small water break next to a small pond we found. I was counting my kills when a loud bellow rang through the jungle. I looked up in apprehension. That wasn't Jaran and whatever it was sounded quite large. Ra was on his feet growling and looking the direction Jaran had gone in but he refused to leave my side. The ground started to shake and I knew something was coming straight at us and as it got closer a revolting smell overpowered my senses.

I loaded my bow and prepared for whatever was coming. Ra sunk to the ground and was snarling ferociously, as though hoping to scare the creature that was coming. I still couldn't hear Jaran and I feared the worst when a creature made from a nightmare came bursting into the clearing. Ra now stood in front of me, offering a small piece of protection but I knew Ra stood no chance of taking this thing down.

It was the size of a large rhino and boy, did it stink. It basically looked like a giant hairy cockroach with a large pair of snapping pincer jaws which were dripping with saliva. Its eyes locked onto the two of us and I knew chances of my survival were slim at best. I had no idea what this thing was and didn't know how to defend myself against it.

Ra and I started backing away to head to the trees when its whole body shuddered. That alone warned me but I was too slow in moving. The beast's two thick horns had suddenly spurted out thick goo which shot in opposite directions. Most of it hit the trees but a large glob hit Ra and pinned him to a tree. He howled as he struggled to get loose and I prayed it wouldn't harm him. I shot three arrows in rapid succession but all they did was bounce off its flank. The beast snarled and shook itself as though insects were annoying it. I was backed up against a boulder when it decided to charge. Its pincers opened and I did a backflip to land on top of the boulder just seconds before it hit. I noticed its saliva started to melt through the rock and knew it was acidic.

It shook its head before turning to where Ra was still pinned to the tree. Fear spread through my whole body. I acted without thinking. I rushed forward and with a howl leapt onto the beast's head, and sank my two daggers deep into it. Its eyes were well protected but that still hurt and distracted it, and it spun away from its victim, while I was hanging on. I rode the creature like a bucking bronco and it was only a matter of time before it threw me off. I should've looked to where I was landing but I didn't and that was what cost me the fight. Right as I landed I felt an immense pain and looked down to see one of its pincers had sliced open my stomach.

It backed off slightly as I watched my blood fall. The world around me started spinning and I could feel myself falling. Once I hit the ground I heard only two things. One was the sound of Ra's mournful howling and the second was my name. That was it before darkness claimed me.

(Jaran)

I was an idiot to think I could take on a Slime Roach and now my student was the one to pay the price. These creatures are known to be dangerous even when you're in full armor and have a load of weapons on you. Daz had done well with how long she had fought but all can I think about is losing her. It had thrown me against a tree when it caught the scent of my student and her dog. When it threw me it had dislocated my knee but I had forced past the pain to get to Daz but I was too late. I watched as she was stabbed and she fell to the ground. I lost it after that. I took my ceremonial dagger and jumped on the creature just as Daz had done. I shoved it deep into the creatures eyes and down into its brain, and watched as it fought for a few seconds before lurching and not moving again.

I took no time to celebrate as I rushed to Daz's side. She was bleeding out very quickly. I picked her up before rushing over to Ra and slicing open the goo that still trapped him. Once he was free we made a mad dash for the ship. It felt like hours before we saw the ship. I had sent a command ahead to have the ship start. Once we were onboard I strapped us all in before launching the ship. I started the communication screen and started growling when it felt like forever before it finally showed Drak's face. He looked bewildered before smiling.

"Hey Jaran how was the…?"

"Never mind you need to get back to the ship. Daz is severely hurt and I need help."

His face got serious within a heartbeat.

"What happened Jaran?"

"**JUST GET TO THE SHIP DRAK! I'M LOSING HER!"**

"**JARAN'TSK! CALM DOWN AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT HAPPENED!"**

I knew yelling at him would solve nothing but I was deeply afraid. I could hear her heartbeat slowing down and I knew she didn't have much longer. I explained what had happened and what attacked us. The whole time Drak was just staring at me with a cold expression. Once he was done he nodded his head.

"You don't need to worry Jaran. I'm already here and so are Shim'kara and Merdrej'qif. I brought them here to celebrate with you. We'll have the Medbay ready for you."

The screen went black. I barely registered what had just happened. I was staring down at the large puddle of red that was slowly covering myself and Daz. I looked up in relief to see our ship.

'_Just a few more minutes Daz.' _I thought to myself.

I waited the agonizing few minutes it took for the ship to finish docking before the three of us rushed out before the door opened completely. Shim'kara was there waiting for us but I blew right past her and headed straight for Medbay. I could hear Ra and Shim'kara try to keep up with me but it was a lost cause. The doors were opened and I rushed in to put her on a table while Drak was already looking over her wounds. Merdrej was already inserting an I.V. for any poison in her system.

Shim'kara was trying to pull me out of the room but I refused each time she pulled me away. I wasn't leaving until I knew she would make it. The sound of a high pitched beeping brought my heart down even lower. Drak checked the screen with all her stats. He quietly cursed.

"She's lost too much blood. She's needs a blood transfusion."

"We don't have any blood for her though."

They went quiet with Merdrej's statement. I stared down at her and could see her slowly leaving this world. And me as well.

"Give her my blood."

They turned to me with stunned expressions. Drak was the first one to speak.

"Don't you know how risky that is? She might not even accept your blood. She might die quicker because of it."

"Give. Her. My. Blood."

"She's just a student Jaran."

I turned to Shim'kara with a very cold look. "Pauk that, she's my daughter."

_**Author's Notes- Okay I know it's been over 7 months since I last updated. A lot of things have happened and most I'm just coming to terms with. I don't know if I'll be able to write much. My brother Mike proposed on New Year's Eve and I'm a bridesmaid. And because of that I get to run around helping the bride whenever she needs it. The wedding is in September and the bride is starting to get nervous and pissy right now so all I'm doing is keeping my head down and making sure I'm not a target. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review please.**_

_**16 SilverMoon 16- Thank you for the llama. He's very pretty. Glad you liked the chapter.**_

_**Lady Augustin- Gosh darn it you figured out my plot for those two a whole chapter early.**_

_**Luna Unchiha666- Are you talking about her training or her punishment?**_

_**The Silent Hunter- I so glad you like my story. **_

_**Verade- Sorry for the long wait.**_

_**Dark Thunder27- I was hoping it would be an awesome story. Thanks.**_

_**SouzouWriter- Thanks. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.**_


	8. Who Needs Normal Anyway?

_**Author's Notes-**__** Did you miss me?**_

_**Disclaimer- I do not own Predator but I do own Ashley, Ra and all named Yautja in this story.**_

_**Beta for this story Khalthar. Without him this story would be worthless.**_

(Ashley)

I felt like I was spinning. Colors swirled past me. I wished everything would just stop. I felt like I couldn't take a breath. My muscles wouldn't respond. Sounds were bouncing around me and I couldn't identify a single one. I finally gave up and let the darkness claim me once again.

**(3****rd**** POV)**

"**Her blood pressure is dropping."**

"**Oxygen levels are dropping as well."**

"**Someone hook her to life support."**

"**Her brain activity is going strong though."**

"**She's trying to hang on."**

(Ashley's Dream)

"_Ashley!"_

_I open my eyes to see myself in a forest. I could've sworn Jaran and I had been in a jungle though._

"_Ashley!"_

_I frowned as I heard my name being called. Jaran never calls me by my human name. So who would it be? The voice itself sounded very familiar though. I stood up from where I had been lying down and headed to where the voice was coming from. As I walked I realized that the trees surrounding me were trees you only found on Earth. A giggle reached my ears and I rushed to the source. As I ran other sounds echoed around me. I stopped as they all spun around me. I couldn't figure out where they were_

"_Where are you?"_

"_Why did you leave?"_

"_Come back!"_

"_You left us!"_

_As the words got louder it got harder to be able to tell who was saying them. They all pounded against my head. My vision was starting to get blurry again. I could feel my legs turning to jelly. I welcomed the dark once more._

**(3****rd**** POV)**

"**She's becoming stable."**

"**What happened? What did you do?"**

"**Nothing. Her mind was going crazy right before it all stopped."**

"**Could the drugs have stopped it?"**

"**You don't understand. Even unconscious you should still have brain activity. Her mind just completely stopped."**

"**Is that bad?"**

"**If she doesn't show brain activity soon it'll mean that she's lost forever."**

_(Ashley's Dream)_

"_Your future will be filled with great things Ashley."_

_I stared into the beautiful blue eyes of my mother. Her warm comforting smile was something I would always remember and cherish._

"_You'll go on to be great Ashley. I know it. You aren't meant for the mundane life of regular people. You are special, and I know it."_

"_I'm gonna be the greatest fighter this world has ever seen. I'll prove girls are just as good as boys."_

"_I know you will do your father and I very proud. Just make sure that you never lose sight of who you are."_

"_I promise mommy. I'll just think of you and daddy and remember, and I'll always fight for the right reasons."_

"_That's my girl."_

**(3****rd**** POV)**

"**You know that's too risky Jaran."**

"**There isn't enough blood in her system to bring her back to a conscious state. She needs the blood now."**

"**Pulling the blood from you and putting it right into her might cause her body to go into shock. We could lose her for sure if that happens."**

"**Kara….just do it **_**please**_**."**

_(Ashley's Dream)_

_I could hear a lot of shouting but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It slowly started fading before it started up again. But this time it was different than before. I headed to where it was coming from and found a very familiar sight. It was my old school back when I was in sixth grade. A large crowd of kids were gathered around something and I knew what it was. I walked through the crowd to see a something I had tried to forget._

_An eleven year old version of me was just standing there listening to the taunts and jeers of my fellow students. Most were pointing at my hair or my tall figure for my age. The one though that caused the entire ruckus only stood a few feet from myself. An eighth grader named Blaze. He was the worst bully this school had to offer. He enjoyed mocking all the kids who were even slightly different than the rest._

"_What's a freak like you want to be at a school like this? Don't they have schools for your kind?"_

_Blaze enjoyed tearing people apart but never physically. Well, never at school anyway. He would only beat them when they were off school grounds. But his favorite way when at school was to publicly humiliate them. To him, the more people the better. But I was the one he couldn't get a reaction from. He could say anything he wanted about me but I never showed any reaction to his taunts. I would just stand there until he was done before asking him one question every single time._

"_Are you done yet?"_

_Then I would walk away and he hated it. He spent months trying to hurt me in numerous ways before he eventually decided enough was enough and finally started stalking me outside of school. It wasn't hard to know he was following me. His stealth skills sucked._

_After several days of him following me I decided to end this little game. Once it became dark I snuck out from my home and stalked the shadows heading to park where he and his buddies would usually be at this time of night. When I finally found my prey I stayed in the darkness and watched as they did graffiti and flung garbage bins around. I waited until he went off to go to the bathroom and followed after him, his friends never even saw me walk by them._

_Blaze never saw me. I shot my fist out just as he turned around and hit him right in the throat silencing any cries he would have made. I had made sure to put my hair in a beanie and had black clothing on to hide my appearance. I grabbed his throat and jammed his head against the tree right behind him. His head shook with the movement. My first punch broke his nose and the next gave him a black eye. I let him go and watched as he fell to the ground._

_I leaned to whisper in his ear. "Why don't you fight back?"_

_I pulled my foot back and kicked him in the ribs. I'm pretty sure those bones would either be bruised or even fractured. I was wearing steel toed boots. I kicked him several times before stopping and looking at the damage I had caused. He was trying to catch his breath and curled in a protective ball now. I pulled my knife out and made a long cut down his face. I watched the blood trail down as he started whimpering and crying._

_I stood up and walked away, his friends still not noticing me. In all he was only gone three minutes before his friends finally went looking for him. I was already at the park gate when I heard their cries for help. I was back in my room thirty minutes later when Orion came to check on me. After that night Blaze never harassed me again and I knew he would carry that scar for the rest of his life._

**(Jaran)**

I watched as my blood rushed out of my arm and into my student. No… she's my daughter now. We all held our breath as we watched the green fluid disappear into her body. We watched and waited for any sign that her body would reject it. As minutes passed we started breathing normally as Kara looked through the scans and such, making sure everything was going okay.

Once we saw her chest start going up and down I felt the rock in my chest leave. It would be quite some time before she would wake up but at least we knew she had a better chance of waking up soon. The only thing left to do was wait.

(Ashley)

Something felt different. Not wrong, just weird. Everything had changed. I felt _primal_ and it terrified and exhilarated me at the same time. I could feel movement around me. The murmur around me was fuzzy and annoying. It was making my head spin and I was getting tired of nothing making sense anymore. I growled my displeasure. Everything stopped and I felt a sudden flurry of movement before everything started getting hard to decipher. I didn't want to but I could feel the darkness coming back. I didn't like it, and I didn't want this to happen again.

**(3****rd**** POV)**

"**What's going on? I thought she was coming back?"**

"**She was but something has stopped her."**

"**Her stats are falling again! The blood transfusion must have failed!"**

"**Don't say that until she's actually gone. I'm not giving up on her and I know she won't either!"**

"**Jaran there isn't much else…."**

"**Silence Kara. I've already heard your point so if you have nothing else to say then just leave."**

**There was a profound silence before the sound of claws clinking echoed across the room and then a door whooshing open and closing before silence came over the room. A large figure sighed before bending over a much smaller figure, gripping a small hand with a much larger one.**

_**(Jaran)**_

"_**Where's the girl who proved she was a fighter when we met?"**_

_**Watching the small, pale body in front of me made my heart clench. The rise of her chest was almost undetectable even to my senses.**_

"_**You proved to me you were a Hunter who refused to give in to any challenge."**_

"_**Please come back to me. I can't lose you. Not when I just got you."**_

_**I felt something trail from my eye but made no move to wipe it away. I watched as it fell and landed on my student's cheek. I held my breath when her whole body stiffened up and then quite suddenly her eyes opened and locked to mine. Then she spoke.**_

(Ashley)

I could feel the darkness trying to suck me back down but I was sick of being there. I didn't like the dark. I didn't fear it but I don't like it. I could feel everything go cold before something warm touched me. The darkness went away for a few seconds but I was desperate to keep it away. Something echoed around me.

"_Where's…girl…..proved….fighter…"_

I enjoyed the sensation that came with that voice.

"_You….Hunter…refused…challenge."_

I know I recognize this voice but it wasn't coming to me.

"…_..come back…..me. I….lose you. Not….got you."_

I didn't like the way this voice sounded. I think… I _know_ this voice should sound stronger and firm. At the moment it was filled with tremendous pain and suffering. I didn't like it. Something was wrong and this voice needed something and I wasn't sure if I could give it but I would try. It was time for me to leave this place. Something hit my face and I froze, then I forced myself to wake up. I was so glad I did because when I looked into the face of the one standing above me, everything came back.

"Hey sensei."

Jaran made some kind of noise that sounded like an animal being strangled before he gently picked me up and held me before lowering the both of us to the floor. He was stroking my hair and muttering small apologies. I knew he would regret this day for the rest of his life but I wouldn't let him wallow in self pity for long. He would forgive himself because I already did and then the both of us would move on. I looked up into his eyes refusing to let him look away.

"I'm still here. It means you didn't fail me or abandon me. I forgave you the second I woke up. We aren't perfect. You've told me this millions of time while we trained. Let's just forget this day ever happened and move on. For me please?"

He stared at me for who knows how long. He barely blinked as he studied me before his gaze went to my stomach where I knew a large scar now resided.

"I personally think all the other Hunters are going to be so jealous when they see it. It's such an awesome scar."

He looked back up at me with an unbelieving look on his face that couldn't help myself. I started laughing and it wasn't long before he joined me. I wasn't surprised to hear the thunder of feet before the sound of the door opening made us both look to the door with smiles still on our faces. The stunned faces of Drak, Kara and Merdrej'qif made my grin get larger.

"Hey guys. When did you get here?"

**(Jaran)**

I was feeling very lightheaded as Kara examined Daz. She wasn't making anything very easy because she didn't want her new scar to be touched very much. She looked to be very proud of it, which in her case she should be.

"Would you sit still Daz? I need to make sure there are no negative side-affects."

"What? Is the bug that did this poisonous or something?"

"No I meant from the blood transfusion we did. Jaran donated his blood since we didn't have any ooman blood. I want to make sure everything is completely normal with you."

Silence rang throughout the Medbay.

"I'm a human who's being trained by a galactic Hunter from space with a rare alien wolf as a companion and just survived being disemboweled by a monster roach and you think I'm normal?"

"I mean you aren't out of danger yet child."

For a second I'm pretty sure my heartbeat stopped for a several seconds. I had a feeling my fellow hunters had similar reactions. It was Drak who asked the question we all feared the answer to.

"What do you mean Kara? You said if she woke up it was a success."

"Transfusing the blood and seeing if her body accepted it is a success but now we have to see how her body reacts to it. Don't forget her chemical make-up is far different from our own."

"How different are we talking about here?"

Kara stared at Merd for quite a while before taking a deep breath and turning back to Daz.

"Human blood is iron based, which is why human blood is red. That is the color Iron turns when rusted or exposed to oxygen. Our own blood glows green because of the phosphorus content. A high level of phosphorus would be poisonous to humans, unless surgically altered. The proteins would be so different that her body might not be able to recognize them as foreign, but it could happen. A mere exchange of blood wouldn't be able to cause any significant changes. But remember if she can't produce any of her OWN blood for almost a year, then she'll need something to replace the human blood cells that are dying on a day to day basis. Human blood cells only live for six months, and they completely replace every cell in their blood every couple of years."

I was feeling very light-headed now. "So there's a chance that she could die within a few short years then?"

"No. All that means is that a blood transfusion isn't going to be enough, a bone marrow transplant will also be necessary. The transfusion saved her life and got her out of immediate danger of death, but the marrow transplant will _have_ to be done. This can be done in a follow up procedure when it's discovered that she'll either need the marrow, or a transfusion every week to make up for the dead blood cells. The simple way to get around that without hampering the training because of a continuous weakness is a marrow transplant. A piece of bone marrow, which produces both white and red blood cells would be removed from say her femur (thigh bone) and replaced with a piece of Yautja bone marrow which produces white and green blood cells. The white blood cells are to fight off infection and disease, and assist in healing. That wouldn't boost her strength or speed, but they might alter her biology just a bit for her to accept the bone marrow."

"Do we need to do this immediately?"

"As soon as possible the better the chances are of acceptance."

A silence rang through the Medbay as we digested this.

"I'm not going to be leaving this Medbay any time soon, am I?"

(Several hours later)

**AN: You guys can complain all you want but I'm not writing the surgery.**

Everything around was blurry. Even the voices I heard were all garbled together, making it impossible to know who it was talking. I was once again the donor for the surgery. Even though I was on heavy meds, I could still feel my leg throbbing. I turned my head to see Daz still completely out of it. She had wires and tubes all around her.

"How are you feeling?"

It took my brain a few seconds to realize that the question was being directed to me. I turned to the door to see Drak standing beside it. He looked terrible. All this stress, fear and no sleep had taken a lot out of all of us.

"Groggy and disoriented but that's nothing unusual after what just happened. Is Kara sleeping?"

"Yep. Merd and I gave her a tranquilizer as soon as she cleaned up the two of you. It was a light one so if something happens with you or Daz then we can get her here quickly."

I nodded my head slowly before closing my eyes once more. Now that the rush was over I felt ready to sleep for a week. Thank Centanu for painkillers.

_**Author's Notes-**__** Well, I hope all of you are well. I can't believe it's nearly been a year since I last updated. I feel so ashamed. I will try to do better but seeing as how I was fired from my job recently it might be easier. If you are still with me, Bless You All. And thank you for not bothering me like some authors whose names will be said.**_

_**Sesshira Rayu-**_ _**Hope it was worth the wait.**_

_**16 SilverMoon 16- **__**I would never stop writing. I'd die without it. And sadly I was taken off the bridesmaid group because I couldn't afford the dress.**_

_**XenaTheAlienChick-**__** That's an interesting comparison. Don't you just love my twists?**_

_**Ivyslade-**__** I take my time when making my action scenes and Ra's story will come later in the story and you'll love who's gonna tell it.**_

_**Lady Augustin-**__** Thanks for being a faithful reviewer.**_

_**Cristal-**__** Sorry it took so long.**_

_**Guest-**__** Happy you like it.**_

_**Trunksymia-**__** I was hoping literally just not physically.**_

_**Anonimus from Russia-**__** Thanks for the encouragement.**_

_**Cris Coursey- **__**Thank you**_

_**ShayChis-**__** I can tell. :D**_

_**Alexander J. Mercer-**__** Sorry it took so long.**_

_**Audrey evans-**__** Thank you.**_

**Khalthar's note's: ** Well Readers… are you having fun yet? Make no mistake, this story will continue. Many long messages have been sent back and forth regarding technical and biological issues in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, because she has worked _very_ hard on this!


	9. EMERGENCY NOTE!

It's back people. Get the word out. Let everyone know it's back.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Hear ye! Hear ye!

I just received word that SOPA is back and they are trying to take our freedoms on the internet away.

That means if anything is posted that is even partially copyrighted, like a video of you and your buddies singing karaoke or a still-frame from a movie or an uploaded song or—horror of horrors—fanfiction, the person that posted it will be considered a felon, with jail time and everything.

Check these sights (Take the spaces out for the web addresses) or any other ones found on the internet to find out more.

www . huffingtonpost 2013/08/07/ unauthorized – streaming - felony_n_3720479 . html

www/washingtonpost blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/sopa-died-in-2012-b ut-obama –administration-wants-to-revive-part-of-it /

www. Youtube watch? v=1fTt4k4Cae4

Pass the word, WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND ANYONE YOU SPEAK TO ON THE INTERNET.

Post this as an update in your fanfiction stories or a status update on all your other favorite social networking sites. This won't just affect Americans, it will affect the entire world.


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